winter in the country."

"Was Elinor wearing her gray furs?" asked Rosamond with critical
interest.

Patricia nodded. "And her amethyst velvet," she said, with appreciation
of her friend's fondness for such matters. "She has the sweetest hat to
go with it, too, and she looked lovelier than anyone there. Norn is the
dearest thing, and I believe she's so pretty because she's so good."

This digression was not received with any show of enthusiasm, so she
hurried on.

"We went into the lobby--it's a stunning place. Awfully select and
quiet, you know. And after sending up our names the page took us to her
rooms, and we had to wait a moment in an outer room while the maid
announced us; then we went right in, and there was Madame Milano, in the
midst of a lot of chatting people, looking just as sociable and
everyday as you please. She came straight over to us and shook hands as
tight as Constance does, and then she introduced us to all the people
there. Oh, Rosamond, I was never so excited in my life!"

"Was it the musical set, or social?" asked Rosamond.

Patricia looked puzzled. "They seemed like both to me," she confessed.
"They were beautifully dressed and they had lovely manners, and some of
them were singers and others seemed to be just society people, from the
way they talked about things. Madame Garti was there, and Sculke, the
baritone, and Mrs. Winderly--she was perfectly lovely----"

"Social climber," Rosamond ticketed her with a calm that made Patricia
wince.

"And there was a plain girl with a gorgeous hat, whom Madame called
Felice--I didn't catch her other name, but I liked her immensely."

Rosamond sat up and bent forward. "Felice Vanding?" she asked, and at
Patricia's rather uncertain nod, she said decisively, "That is the most
exclusive girl in New York. Was her mother there?"

Patricia searched her memory. "Is she sort of stiff and dried-up?" she
hazarded. "With a big nose?"

"That is Mrs. Vanding!" cried Rosamond with more animation than Patricia
had known her to show. "Milano must be quite the proper thing, or the
Vandings would never take her up. Tell me some more about her."

Patricia felt rather disconcerted. This was not the point of view she
could sympathize with. She went on less gayly.

"Madame Milano was very kind. She asked all about my lessons, and said
she was going to ask Tancredi to lunch with her tomorrow to find out how
I had been shirking. She asked about Artemis Lodge, too