, and how I like
the life here. I told her how jolly it was, and I told her, too, how
dear you'd been to me."

"Did you indeed?" said Rosamond with a pleased look. "Was she at all
interested?"

"I should say she was!" cried Patricia, glad to recall the tone and
look. "She smiled and said in the nicest possible way, 'I should like to
meet your friend, Miss Pat. It is rare to find such good comradeship
among rivals.' I told her that we weren't rivals, that we couldn't
possibly be, for you had a wonderful voice and were far, far more gifted
than plain me."

"What did she say at that?" demanded the now eager Rosamond, forgetting
to contradict this generous statement.

"She laughed and pinched my cheek," Patricia had to confess
shamefacedly. "And she said something about violets and I thought she
meant my bunch, so I took it off and offered it to her, feeling so glad
I had the chance to give her even that tiny gift. She took it and pinned
it on her, and told me to be a good child. It was rather puzzling,
though, for the other people laughed and I was sure I'd made a mistake
of some sort. I felt horridly uncomfortable."

"Didn't your sister know what she meant?" inquired Rosamond, sinking
back into her cushions again.

"No, Elinor and Bruce were both over at the other side of the room,
talking to Madame Alda, who had just come in. To tell the truth, I
didn't say anything to them about it," Patricia said. "It wasn't much,
anyway, for in a little while I was introduced to Felice and we had a
good time together behind the palms while the music was going on. She
knows lots about music, and I learned a good many things from her."

Rosamond approved. "She's worth cultivating," she declared warmly, her
long eyes brightening. "But tell me, Miss Pat, was that all that Milano
said? Did she know I'd been with Pancri in Rome and Martona in Paris?
Did she say that Tancredi had spoken of me?"

"I told her every last thing I could possibly think of that would make
her realize I had a good angel to watch over me," laughed Patricia.
"But, of course, we couldn't keep on talking all the afternoon. There
were a good many other people who wanted a word with her."

Rosamond subsided into her usual amiable indifference. "You must have
had a charming time," she said pleasantly. "Tell me how they were all
dressed."

Patricia very willingly launched into an enthusiastic account of the
beautiful garments worn by the hostess and guests, and