not dull."

"Oh, Patty, I wish you'd drop it all and come home! I don't like it, and
Fred doesn't either."

"Tra-la-la! 'Twill all be over soon! Only six days more. Expect me home
next Thursday afternoon. Love to all. Good-by. Patty!"

Patty hung up the receiver, for she knew if she talked any longer she'd
get homesick. The sound of Nan's familiar voice made her long for her
home and her people. But Patty was plucky, and, also, she was doggedly
determined to succeed this time.

So she went back to Mrs. Van Reypen with a placid countenance, and sat
for an hour or more complimenting and admiring the costumes in process of
construction.

Somehow the afternoon dragged itself away, and the evening, at the
theatre, passed pleasantly enough.

But the succeeding days went slowly.

Mrs. Van Reypen was difficult to please. She was fretty, irritable,
inconsequent, and unjust.

What suited her one day displeased her highly the next.

So long as Patty praised, complimented, and flattered her all went fairly
well.

But if Patty inadvertently disagreed with her, or expressed a contrary
opinion, there was a scene.

And again, if Patty seemed especially meek and mild Mrs. Van Reypen would
say:

"Don't sit there and assent to everything I say! Do have some mind of
your own! Express an honest opinion, even though it may differ from
mine."

Then, if Patty did this, it would bring down vials of wrath on her
inoffensive head. Often she was at her wits' end to know what to say. But
her sense of humour never deserted her, and if she said something,
feeling sure she was going to get sorely berated for saying it, she was
able to smile inwardly when the scathing retort was uttered.

Sunday was an especially hard day. It was stormy, so they could not go
out.

So Mrs. Van Reypen bade Patty read sermons to her.

When Patty did so she either fell asleep and then, waking suddenly,
declared that Patty had been skipping, or else she argued contrary to the
doctrines expressed in the sermons and expected Patty to combat her
arguments.

"I'm tired of hearing you read," she said, at last. "You do read
abominably. First you go along in staccato jerks, then you drone in a
monotone. Philip is a fine reader. I love to hear Philip read. I wish
he'd come in to-day. I wonder why he doesn't? Probably because you're
here. He must have taken a violent dislike to you, Miss Fairfield."

"Do you think so?" said Patty, almost choking with suppre