hat twinkled into foolish
little ruffles all round the hem.

More tiny frills gambolled around the low-cut circular neck and nestled
against Patty's soft, round arms.

Her curly hair was parted, and massed low at the back of her neck, and
behind one ear she tucked a half-blown pink rosebud.

The long, dreamy day had roused in Patty a contrary wilfulness, and she
was quite ready for fun if any came her way.

At dinner Mrs. Van Reypen monopolised the conversation. She talked mostly
to Philip, but occasionally addressed a remark to Patty. She was
exceedingly polite to her, but made her feel that her share of the
conversation must be formal and conventional. Then she would chatter to
her nephew about matters unknown to Patty, and then perhaps again throw
an observation about the weather at her "companion."

Patty accepted all this willingly enough, but Philip didn't.

He couldn't keep his eyes off Patty, who was looking her very prettiest,
and whose own eyes, when she raised them, were full of smiles.

But in vain he endeavoured to make her talk to him.

Patty remembered Mrs. Van Reypen's injunctions, and, though her
bewitching personality made such effort useless, she tried to be
absolutely and uninterestingly silent.

"Aunty Van," said Philip, at last, giving up his attempts to make Patty
converse, "let's have a little theatre party to-morrow night. Shall us?
I'll get a box, and if you and Miss Fairfield will go, I'll be
delighted."

"I'll go, with pleasure," replied his aunt, "but Miss Fairfield will be
obliged to decline. She has been out late too often since she has been
here, and she needs rest. So invite the Delafields instead, and that will
make a pleasant quartette."

For an instant Patty was furiously angry at this summary disposal of
herself, but when she saw Philip's face she almost screamed with
laughter.

Crestfallen faintly expressed his appearance. He was crushed, and looked
absolutely stunned.

"How he is under his aunt's thumb!" thought Patty, secretly disgusted at
his lack of self-assertion, but she suddenly changed her mind.

"Thank you, Aunty Van," she heard him saying, in a cool, determined
voice, "but I prefer to choose my own guests. I do not care to ask the
Delafields--unless you especially desire it. I am sorry Miss Fairfield
cannot go, but I trust you will honour me with your presence." Philip had
scored.

Mrs. Van Reypen well knew if she went alone with her nephew, under such