e Alley. She
executed a few steps of the sailor's hornpipe with the doll as partner,
then plumped herself onto the middle of the bed and laughingly regarded
her two companions through over-hanging curls.

"Tell us what he said," Kid implored. "We nearly pulled our necks out by
the roots stretching over the banisters, but we couldn't hear a word."

"Did he kiss you?" asked Harriet.

"N-no." There was a touch of regret in her tone. "But he patted me on
the head. He has a very sweet way with children. You'd think he'd had a
course in kindergarten training."

"What did you talk about?" insisted Kid, eagerly.

Patty outlined the conversation.

"And he's going to take me to the circus next Wednesday," she ended, "to
see the elephunts!"

"The Dowager will never let you go," objected Harriet.

"Oh, yes, she will!" said Patty. "It's perfectly proper to go to the
circus with your uncle--'specially in vacation. We've got it all
planned. I'm to go into town with Waddy. I heard her say she had an
appointment at the dentist's--and he'll be at the station with a
hansom--"

"More likely a baby carriage," Kid put in quickly.

"Miss Wadsworth will never take you into town in _those_ clothes,"
Harriet objected.

Patty hugged her knees and rocked back and forth, while her dimples came
and went.

"I think," she said, "that the next time I'll give him an entirely
different kind of a sensation."

And she did.

Anticipatory of the coming event, she sent her suit to the tailor's and
had him lengthen the hem of the skirt two inches. She spent an entire
morning retrimming her hat along more mature lines, and she purchased a
veil--with spots! She also spent twenty-five cents for hairpins, and did
up her hair on the top of her head. She wore Kid McCoy's Christmas furs
and Harriet's bracelet watch; and, as she set off with a somewhat
bewildered Miss Wadsworth, they assured her that she looked _old_.

They reached the city a trifle late for Miss Wadsworth's appointment.
Patty spied Mr. Pendleton across the waiting-room.

"There's Uncle Robert!" she said; and to her intense satisfaction, Miss
Wadsworth left her to accost him alone.

She sauntered over in a very blase fashion and held out her hand. The
spots in the veil seemed to dazzle him; for a moment he did not
recognize her.

"Mr. Pendleton! How do you do?" Patty smiled cordially. "It's really
awfully good of you to devote so much time to my entertainment. And so
original