oidered satin
mules, and the impressionable Patricia was feasting her eyes on her. She
was used to beauty--and beauty of a much higher class--in her own sister
Elinor, and every day her mirror reflected quite as attractive features
as those of her new companion, but the extreme luxury with which
Rosamond indulged her fancy in the matter of clothing was a revelation
to her.

She looked at the shimmering cloudy-blue folds of the robe, at the soft
dark edges of fur with their under-ruffles of pink chiffon, at the lace
and ribbons of the petticoat which showed where the robe fell away, and
she forgot they were merely outer trappings, to be bought from any
department store or private shop. They seemed part of a superior charm
belonging exclusively to Rosamond Merton, and Patricia sighed as she saw
in the mirror over the mantel-shelf the image of a fluffy-haired girl in
an unpretentious blouse.

"I wonder that she can put up with me," she thought ruefully, smoothing
down the folds of her simple corduroy skirt. "She must be very
kind-hearted indeed. I wish that I might do something to show how I feel
about it."

As Rosamond chatted on, telling of her visit to Red Top and describing
the house party with a good deal of cleverness, Patricia became so
interested that she forgot her grateful intentions in listening to the
gossip which her new friend retailed so sparklingly. She laughed over
the description of the model poultry farm and chaffed Rosamond quite
freely on her lack of technical terms; she smiled a little uneasily over
the dinner party at the rectory, feeling a bit guilty that she should
find matter for mirth in the precise and dainty entertainment offered
impartially by the gentle rector and his ladylike maiden sisters; and
she was frankly disturbed by the careless fashion of treating the attack
of measles which had disbanded the house party a week earlier than
planned.

"Of course, you weren't in any danger," she said, more to herself than
to Rosamond. "Measles aren't much to be afraid of, anyway, unless one is
a perfect Methuselah. I think it was hard on Mr. Long to have his nice
party broken up after all his planning, just because a lot of grown-ups
got scared about _measles_. If I were the girl he's in love with, I'd
stayed and helped nurse Danny, instead of running away from the place."

Rosamond laughed her indolent laugh. "And been quarantined for three
weeks out there in the desolate country," she mocked.