Carolyn Wells

Patty's Fortune Carolyn Wells

"This is a little like a real eloping, isn't it?" and Bill gave Patty's suitcase to a porter, whom they followed across the big Pennsylvania station in New York."A very little," said Patty, shaking her head. "You see it lacks the thrill of a real out-andout elopement, because people know about it. An elopement, to be any good, must be asecret. If ever I get married, I'm going to elope, that's one thing certain!""Why, Patty, how unlike you! I thought you'd want a flubdub wedding with forty-'levenbridesmaids and all the rest of it.""Oh, I s'pect I shall when the time comes. I often change my mind, you know.""You bet you do! You change it oftener than you make it up!""Why, I couldn't--" began Patty, and just then they reached the taxicab rank, and Billput Patty into a car. They went to the Waldorf, where they were to meet the Kenerleys, and found that Jimand Adele had just arrived."What a perfect scheme!" exclaimed Adele, as soon as greetings had been exchanged."Who all are going?""Let us go to luncheon," said Bill, "and then we can thrash out things. I reserved atable-ah, here we are," as the head waiter recognised the big Westerner."I love to go round with Bill," said Patty, "he always has everything ready, and no fussabout it.""He sure does," said Jim Kenerley, in hearty appreciation. "But the way he scoots acrossthe country and back, every other day or two, keeps him in trim. He lives on the jump.""I do," agreed Farnsworth. "But some day I hope to arrange matters so I can stay in thesame place twice running."Laughing at this sally, they took their places at the table, which Bill's foresight hadcaused to be decorated with a low mound of white asters and maidenhair fern."How pretty!" cried Patty. "I hate a tall decoration, -this is just right to talk over. Now, let's tal