peared at the head of the stairs. She stood
a moment, her bouquet held at arm's length, and looked at it as if she
couldn't quite bring herself to part with it.

"There, _now_ she's going to toss it! _Quick_, Patty, catch it!" Big
Bill whispered in her ear, and Patty looked upward. Then, seeing the
direction in which the flowers fell,--for Christine really tossed them
straight at her,--Patty whirled round and sprang aside, so that the
bouquet was picked up by a girl who stood next to her.

"Oh, Patty! you muffed it!" cried Farnsworth; "and what's more, you
did it on purpose!"

"'Course I did!" declared Patty. "I don't want to be married this
year, thank you. But it was all I could do to dodge it!"

And then the confetti was showered on the departing couple, Kenneth
tucked them into the motor car, Patty jumped in too, for a last
rapturous hug of Christine, and Kenneth almost had to pull her out.

"Come, come, Patty," he cried. "Let them make their getaway! I think
they've missed the train as it is. There, now, they're off! My, a best
man's lot is not a happy one! But our trials are over now, Patty girl,
and we can take a little rest! Let's go back and receive the
congratulations of the audience on our good work."

They went back to the house, laughing, and Patty succeeded in
obtaining a few more blossoms from the bridal bouquet to save for
Christine until she came back.

"Why didn't you catch it, Patty?" said Kenneth. "Do you want to be an
old maid?"

"'Nobody asked me, sir, she said,'" and Patty dropped her eyes,
demurely.

"You mean there's nobody that hasn't asked you!" returned Kenneth.
"I'm going to ask you, myself, some day; but not to-night. I've had
enough to do with matrimonial alliances for one day!"

"So have I," laughed Patty. "Let's put it off for a year, Ken."

"All right," was the laughing response, and then they rejoined the
other young people.

After the reception was over, a few of Patty's more intimate friends
were invited to remain to dinner with the Fairfields.

"Can you stay, Little Billee?" asked Patty, dancing up to him, as he
seemed about to leave.

"I have to take a midnight train," he said, "and I have some business
matters that I must attend to first. So if I may, I'll run away now,
and come back this evening for a dance with you."

"All right; be sure to come," and Patty flashed him a smiling glance,
and danced away again.

It was after eleven before Farnsworth returned,