"I certainly am," she responded. "The only flaw is that I suppose it's
about time to go in to dinner. I wish we could all sit here on the
sand forever."
"You'd change your mind when you reached my age," said Mrs. Allen. "I'm
quite ready to go in now and find a more comfortable chair."
Later that evening Patty, completely arrayed for the dance, came to her
father for inspection.
"You look very sweet, my child," he said after gazing at her long and
earnestly; "and with your hair dressed that way you look very much like
your mother. I'm sorry you're growing up, my baby, I certainly am; but I
suppose it can't be helped unless the world stops turning around. And if
it's any satisfaction to you, I'd like to have you know that your father
thinks you the prettiest and sweetest girl in all the country round."
"And aren't you going to tell me that if I only behave as well as I look,
I'll do very nicely?"
"You seem to know that already, so I hardly think it's necessary."
"Well, I'll tell it to you, then; for you do look so beautiful in
evening clothes that I don't believe you _can_ behave as well as you
look. Nobody could."
"I see your growing up has taught you flattery," said her father, "a
habit you must try to overcome."
But Patty was already dancing down the long hall to Aunt Alice's room,
and a few moments later they all went down to the parlours.
When Kenneth first saw Patty that evening, he stood looking at her with a
funny, stupefied expression on his face.
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