had her
reward in Bruce's look and in Elinor's sigh of relief, and she instantly
determined to put up with whatever Milano decreed with as joyful a
spirit as she could summon.

"It really isn't so very dreadful. Many girls would love it," explained
Elinor. "You are to study with Madame Milano's friend, Madame Tancredi,
and to live at the new students' club, Artemis Lodge----"

"I thought Ted called it something else," began Patricia puzzled.

Ted laughed. "That's the name the fellows have for it," he explained in
a hasty aside.

Elinor went gently on with the rules. "And you are to come home on
Sunday evenings," she said brightly, "and to be very particular about
your diet and physical exercises. I think that's all."

Patricia, in spite or her good resolves, could not repress a sigh at the
program which was so very different from that she had planned for
herself. Afternoons at the studio, morning chats with Elinor, music
lessons for the aspiring Marty, who was to be put to school as soon as
she came from Rockham, and a host of other idle, pleasant doings had
been in her catalogue.

"I suppose it will be very nice," she said in a half-hearted manner that
showed her feelings as clearly as any words could have. "Have you seen
the place, Elinor?"

Elinor had not, but Margaret Howes had stopped there before settling in
her new studio apartment, and she declared it as delightful as one could
wish. Ted and Tom added their hopeful prophecy that she'd find a dandy
bunch of girls there, and even Judith put in a word for Patricia's
future abode by saying in her most conclusive fashion:

"I suppose they'll be fearfully nice to you there, since they will all
know that Madame Milano made you come there. You're always so very
lucky, Miss Pat. Everybody makes things so easy for you."

Patricia gave a gurgle of amusement at Judith's grown-up air. Her
soaring spirits began to color the picture of Artemis Lodge with
brighter hue and she saw that it really was fortunate to have the
interest of a prominent and popular opera singer as an introduction to
the world of musical endeavor.

"That's true enough, Judith-Minerva, my dear," she retorted gayly. "I'll
try to live up to the great Milano's recommendation. But if I fail, I'll
get my literary sister, the authoress of----"

Here Judith, for some reason unknown to Patricia, looked so very hurt
and agitated that she dropped her teasing manner and said with genuine
satisfaction, "