nner in the gay little restaurant with its decorated walls and
sociable small tables was a far more enjoyable affair than she had
thought it could be when she had looked forward to it in her lonely
interval, and after another half hour of chat by the fire-side in the
library she went to her room highly delighted with her first day at
Artemis Lodge.

Stopping at the public telephone in the hall--she decided not to use the
one in Miss Merton's sitting-room until the owner was at home
again--she called up Elinor and gave her a brief report.

"I'm having a perfectly lovely time," she told her. "And as Doris isn't
coming back till next week, I am going to bring someone who has been
very nice to me home to supper on Sunday, in her place. I know you'll
like her, and," here she laughed a little, "tell Judy she isn't at all
pretty."

CHAPTER VII

A DINNER FOR TWO

Rosamond Merton came home unexpectedly to find Patricia grown very much
at home indeed during the four days of her absence.

She opened the door of the sitting-room, after a light tap of the tiny
brass knocker, to find Patricia rising from the piano-stool with pleased
expectation in her face, an expression which rapidly became one of
joyful surprise. Rosamond was so much prettier than Patricia had been
picturing her that she fairly beamed as she came to greet her.

"How lovely of you to come back so soon," she said with such warmth that
Rosamond Merton felt glad that she had been compelled to cut her visit
short.

"It's lovely to be welcomed home," she returned, beginning to pull off
her gloves. "I always dreaded the empty rooms after I had been away.
Have you been quite comfortable? I left so hurriedly that I hadn't time
to arrange for your arrival."

Patricia assured her that she was absolutely in clover, and she showed
her the little bedroom as a proof, exhibiting the easy chair, the cosy
table and all her other small comforts with a great deal of pride.

Rosamond was genuinely interested in all the contrivances which had been
installed for Patricia's well-being and she showed so much of what
Patricia called "human" feeling that she won the last citadel in that
young lady's affections.

"Do you know I was dreadfully afraid of you that day at Tancredi's?" she
confessed when they were once more in the sitting-room by the fire.

Rosamond had laid aside her traveling dress and slipped on a soft
fur-trimmed crepe lounging robe with her feet in embr