y."

"So it seems," said the old lady, drily; "but as I have some regard for
the conventions, I will present to you, Miss Fairfield, my scape-grace
and ne'er-do-well nephew, Philip Van Reypen."

"What an awful reputation to live up to," said Patty, smiling at the
debonair Philip, who quite looked the part his aunt assigned to him.

"Awful, but not at all difficult," he responded, gaily, and Patty
followed as he escorted his aunt to the dining-room.

The little dinner-party was a gay one; Mrs. Van Reypen became mildly
amiable under the influence of the young people's merry chatter, and
Patty felt that so far, at least, a companion's lot was not such a very
unhappy one.

After dinner, however, the young man was sent peremptorily away. He
begged to stay, but his aunt ordered him off, declaring that she had seen
enough of him, and he was not to return for a week at least. Philip went
away, sulkily, declaring that he would call the very next morning to
inquire after his aunt's health.

"I trust you are not flirtatiously inclined, Miss Fairfield," said Mrs.
Van Reypen, as the two sat alone in the large and rather sombre
drawing-room.

"I am not," said Patty, honestly. "I like gay and merry conversation, but
as your companion, I consider myself entirely at your orders, and have no
mind to chatter if you do not wish me to do so."

"That is right," said Mrs. Van Reypen, approvingly. "You cannot have many
friends in your present position, of course. And you must not feel
flattered at Mr. Philip's apparent admiration of you. He is a most
impressionable youth, and is caught by every new face he sees."

Patty smiled at the idea of her being unduly impressed by Mr. Van
Reypen's glances. She had given him no thought, save as a good-natured,
well-bred young man.

But she pleasantly assured Mrs. Van Reypen that she would give her nephew
no further consideration, and though Mrs. Van Reypen looked sharply at
Patty's face, she saw only an honest desire to please her employer.

The evening was long and uninteresting.

At Mrs. Van Reypen's request, Patty read to her, and then sang for her.

But the lady was critical, and declared that the reading was too fast,
and the singing too loud, so that when at last it was bedtime, Patty
wondered whether she was giving satisfaction or not.

But she was engaged for a week, anyway, and whether satisfactory or not,
Mrs. Van Reypen must keep her for that length of time, and that was all
P