s nearly full! When shall
we count it? And how _shall_ we get this mess cleared away? If the
servants come in here, they'll know it all, at once. And I think we ought
to keep the matter quiet until we can cart the gold away to the bank."

"I think so too," said his mother. "Suppose we leave this room exactly as
it is, and lock it all up until to-morrow. Then we can talk it over this
evening, and decide what is best to do. I think we should consult with
Lawyer Ashton, and let him advise us."

So, after carefully securing the windows, and locking all the doors of
the room, it was a merry-hearted family who went away to dress for
dinner.

"Let's put on our prettiest frocks, and make the dinner a sort of
celebration feast," said Patty, who dearly loved an "occasion."

"We will," said Mabel, "and Grandy must wear her black velvet."

Mrs. Cromarty was easily persuaded, and the happy old lady looked almost
regal as, in her trailing gown, she led the way to the dining-room. The
dinner conversation was on the all-absorbing topic, and Patty realised
afresh how dearly these people loved their old home, and how anxious they
were to devote their newly-found fortune to restoring the glories of the
place.

"And now we can have the garden party!" exclaimed Mabel. "You know,
Patty, we've had one every summer for years and years, and this summer we
thought we couldn't afford it. What fun to have you here to it!"

"Let's have it soon," said Sinclair. "Can you get ready in a week,
mother?"

"Give me a little longer than that, son. And we want to send out the
invitations about ten days before the party."

"We'll make the lists to-night. Let's invite everybody. I suppose, after
we put the money safely away, there's no necessity for secrecy about it."

"No, I think not. All our friends will rejoice with us, that we've found
it at last."

Later on, they all sat round the library table, and made plans for the
garden party. Patty discovered that it would be a much larger and more
important affair than she had imagined. The invitation list soon rose to
about four hundred, and seemed literally to include everybody in all the
country round.

"I really ought to have a new frock for the party," said Mabel; "but
we've so much going on that I won't have time to get one made."

This gave Patty an idea, and she determined to give Mabel a little
surprise. While they were making the plans for the fete, she was
planning to write to Lady Hami