th's clever work was Miss Rachel Daggett. She had eyes only for her
beloved nephew, with an occasional side glance for her pretty young
neighbour.

After the entertainment there was a little dance for the young people;
and Patty, as president of the club, received so many compliments and so
much congratulation that it's a wonder her curly head was not turned.
But as she walked home between her father and Mr. Hepworth, she declared
that the success of the evening was in no way consequent upon her
efforts, but depended entirely on the talents of the two travelling
comedians from the city.

CHAPTER XVII

ENTERTAINING RELATIVES

Spring and summer followed one another in their usual succession, and
as the months went by, Boxley Hall became more beautiful and more
attractively homelike, both inside and out. Mr. Fairfield bought a
pair of fine carriage horses and a pony and cart for Patty's own use.
A man was engaged to take care of these and also to look after the
lawn and garden.

Patty, learning much from experience and also from Aunt Alice's
occasional visits, developed into a sensible and capable little
housekeeper. So determined was she to make the keeping of her father's
house a real success that she tried most diligently to correct all her
errors and improve her powers.

Patty had a natural aptitude for domestic matters, and after some rough
places were made smooth and some sharp corners rounded off, things went
quite as smoothly as in many houses where the presiding genius numbered
twice Patty's years.

With June came vacation, and Patty was more than glad, for she was
never fond of school, and now could have all her time to devote to her
beloved home.

And, too, she wanted very much to invite her cousins to visit her, which
was only possible in vacation time.

"I think, papa," she said, as they sat on the veranda one June evening
after dinner, "I think I shall have a house party. I shall invite all my
cousins from Elmbridge and Philadelphia and Boston and we'll have a grand
general reunion that will be most beautiful."

"You'll invite your aunts and uncles, too?" said Mr. Fairfield.

"Why, I don't see how we'd have room for so many," said Patty.

"And, of course," went on her father, "you'd invite the whole Elliott
family. It wouldn't be fair to leave them out of your house-party just
because they happen to live in Vernondale."

Then Patty saw that her father was laughing at her.

"I know y