grew dark. Presently Louise appeared.

"Instruct the servants to forbid that boy to enter my dining room this
evening," she said to Louise.

"Also, Louise," said Patsy, "tell them not to lay a plate for me, and
ask Oscar to be ready with the wagon at five o'clock. I'm going home."

Louise hesitated, and looked from Miss Jane to Patsy, and back again.
They were glaring upon each other like two gorgons.

Then she burst into laughter; she could not help it, the sight was too
ridiculous. A moment later Patsy was laughing, too, and then Aunt Jane
allowed a grim smile to cross her features.

"Never mind, Louise," she said, with remarkable cheerfulness; "We'll
compromise matters."

"How?" asked Patsy.

"By putting a plate for Kenneth," said her aunt, cooly. "I imagine I
can stand his society for one evening."

So the matter was arranged to Patricia's satisfaction, and the boy
came to dinner, trembling and unhappy at first, but soon placed at
ease by the encouragements of the three girls. Indeed, he behaved so
well, in the main, and was so gentle and unobstrusive, that Aunt Jane
looked at him with surprise, and favored him with one or two speeches
which he answered modestly and well.

Patsy was radiant with delight, and the next day Aunt Jane remarked
casually that she did not object to the boy's presence at dinner, at
all, and he could come whenever he liked.

This arrangement gave great pleasure to both Uncle John and Mr.
Watson, the latter of whom was often present at the "state dinner,"
and both men congratulated Patsy upon the distinct victory she had
won. No more was said about her leaving Elmhurst. The Major wrote that
he was having a splendid time with the colonel, and begged for an
extension of his vacation, to which Patsy readily agreed, she being
still unable on account of her limb to return to her work at Madam
Borne's.

And so the days glided pleasantly by, and August came to find a happy
company of young folks at old Elmhurst, with Aunt Jane wonderfully
improved in health and Uncle John beaming complacently upon everyone
he chanced to meet.

CHAPTER XVIII.

PATRICIA SPEAKS FRANKLY.

It was Lawyer Watson's suggestion that she was being unjust to Beth
and Louise, in encouraging them to hope they might inherit Elmhurst,
that finally decided Aunt Jane to end all misunderstandings and inform
her nieces of the fact that she had made a final disposition of her
property.

So one morning she se