said
Muriel, turning over the toys in a rather disdainful manner.

"No, but they'll like them all the same, because they come from me. It
will be so delightful to write 'From Patty' on each."

"Well, I should hardly have thought it worth while to go into town on
purpose to buy them, and especially to drag poor Horace out on such a
cold, foggy afternoon," said Muriel.

"She didn't drag me out, Sis; it was I who suggested it," interposed
Horace. "Why can't you let her enjoy her presents without finding fault
with them?"

"I'm not finding fault."

"Yes, you are."

"You're quite absurd about Patty."

"And you're not very kind."

"It's the first time you've ever called me unkind," said Muriel,
flushing angrily. "I think it's horrid of you to run away from me for a
whole afternoon and then speak to me like this! You're unkind yourself!"

And throwing down the humming top which she had been examining, she
stalked out of the room, and banged the door behind her. Horace, who
was extremely fond of his sister, followed, and succeeded in making
peace. Muriel was mollified when he played chess with her all the
evening, and forgave him for what she considered his neglect; but his
championship of Patty did not make her love her cousin any the better.

CHAPTER IX

An Afternoon with Jean

If Patty had to rub her eyes rather vigorously with her pocket
handkerchief on Christmas morning, I think there was every excuse for
her. To be in a home which was not her own home seemed in some respects
almost harder than being at school, for however kind relations may
prove, they can never quite take the place of one's family on such a
festival as Christmas Day. There were, of course, no presents for Patty
from Kirkstone, nothing but a much-disinfected letter, which Aunt Lucy
viewed with great uneasiness, and insisted that her niece should throw
into the fire directly she had read it.

"I have such a horror of scarlet fever," she declared. "Neither Horace
nor Muriel has ever had it, and germs can certainly be conveyed through
notepaper. It will be wise, I think, to burn some sulphur pastilles in
the room, and you had better wash your hands, Patty, with carbolic
soap, as you have touched the letter. I hope your mother won't write to
you very often. It would be much safer simply to send telegrams to say
how the children are getting on. I'd really rather you didn't receive
postcards from Milly."

"But Milly is quite well, and