them their way.

"Now you're safe and sound, with no bones broken," said Griffin, as
Patricia sank down on the roomy couch. "You're a nice one, you are,
scaring us into a blue fit just when we were about to blister our paws
with applause for the heroine of the day."

Patricia looked inquiringly at Elinor, who smiled at her serenely in
return, much to Patricia's bewilderment.

"But," she protested, raising herself on one elbow. "It wasn't true,
what Mr. Benton said about your design. Why don't you tell him so,
Elinor?"

Elinor merely shook her head gently, while Griffin stood in embarrassed
silence.

"Why don't you _do_ something?" cried Patricia again. "Why don't you
tell him? Griffin, it wasn't true--that she copied it! You know she'd
not do a thing like that!"

"Any fool knows that," replied Griffin gruffly. "If Leighton had any
stuff in her, she'd have spoken up. I was just going to when I saw you
begin to crumple. It wasn't etiquette for me to speak, but I'd have
given them something to think of!"

"It's too late now to bother about denying it, Miss Pat dear," said
Elinor soothingly. "It doesn't really matter much, you know, since we
three know I didn't copy. After all, it's a very little thing. I'd
rather be blamed unjustly than have done such a poor act. Don't feel
so badly about it, dear. We can tell our friends that it was a mistake
on Mr. Benton's part, and they'll believe us, I'm sure. It doesn't
matter for the rest."

"Doesn't it, really?" blazed Patricia, sitting up very stiff and
straight. "Well, it may not to you, but to my mind it's as bad as
telling any other untruth. You're not guilty of it, and if you let the
accusation pass unnoticed, you are party to the falsehood."

Griffin, who was winking at her behind Elinor's back in a particularly
portentous fashion, turned to the door.

"Calm down, Miss Pat," she said, with her hand on the knob. "I'm going
to corral a few of the elect and put it to them. Brace up and look
pleasant by the time I get back."

Patricia was about to break into angry tears on Elinor's neck, but the
brisk and significant air with which Griffin spoke roused her to
herself again. She put Elinor's arms away, and going to the mirror,
smoothed her tumbled hair, and whisked away the telltale traces of her
collapse, while Elinor sat quietly on the edge of the couch watching
her with fond anxiety.

Not a word was spoken till the door opened again, and Grif