out
pretty things for herself," she suggested, "because she can put so much
of it into her work."

This thoughtful sifting for motives was so like Judith that Patricia
forgot her grievances in an amused laugh. "Good for you, Judy-pudy," she
cried, flinging an arm about her small sister. "There's a hint for me,
is it? I'll try to take it, Miss Minerva, and if you hear that my
exercises are growing too frilly for Tancredi's taste you'll know the
reason why."

Judith was not at all discomposed by her light-minded raillery. "I
should think it would be a very good thing for you to try, Miss Pat,"
she said sedately. "Clothes go out of fashion so dreadfully soon
nowadays and the singing exercises will last most of your life."

Patricia watched her leave the room to arrange the materials for the
salad dressing--Bruce always made the dressing on Sunday nights--and she
smiled at Elinor in a very tender fashion.

"Judy is a wonder," she confessed. "She has a mind of her own. I wonder
why she's taken such an aversion to Rosamond lately? She never misses a
chance to undermine her. Not openly, you know, but in a quiet way. I've
noticed it ever since Doris Leighton came back and we had the spread
that evening in her room."

"Judith couldn't have gotten it from Doris," said Elinor positively. "I
heard all that Doris said about Miss Merton, and it was rather nice. I
think you must be over-sensitive, Miss Pat. Judith has been at the Lodge
several times since then and she may have been talking with someone who
is envious of your Rosamond. She isn't as popular as she might be, you
know."

"Of course, she isn't," exclaimed Patricia, on the defensive at once.
"She doesn't choose to hobnob with everyone, and so they say she's stuck
up, and ultra, and exclusive. If she were as much of a snob as they say,
she certainly wouldn't have chosen to take me in."

Judith had returned, carrying the salad in its green bowl. She held it
precisely between her slender, pale hands as she stood still to confute
this heresy.

"You know perfectly well, Miss Pat, that there isn't a prettier girl in
the musical set in Artemis Lodge," she declared with a touch of wrath in
her calm tones. "You are related to a famous artist, and you have Madame
Milano for a friend. Miss Merton wouldn't look at you, either, if you
didn't have nice clothes and good manners, besides being very well-born
indeed, as she certainly knows."

With this blast delivered, Judith se