man was."

"Where's the hairbrush?"

"Sarah brought it back with her, and left it where it belongs. I knew
it might be broken or lost, but I could have replaced it, so I took
that chance. And nothing else seemed just right to throw."

"But, Patty, it was an awful thing for Ray to do to you."

"Oh, don't fuss, Elise. Consider the circumstances. I had given her
permission, in a sort of way, to keep me from that stunt if she could,
and she had said, 'If I do, remember you said I might.' So you see,
she was within her rights, in a way, and beside, I tell you I don't
want to stir up a hornets' nest about it. The incident is beneath
notice; and, do you know, I can't help admiring the girl's daring and
ingenuity."

"Oh, you'd admire a Grizzly Bear, if he succeeded in eating you up!
You're a good-natured goose, Patty."

"Maybe. But I know the difference between a foolish prank and a real
offence, that must be resented. You're the goose, Elise, not to see
how silly it would be to raise a row against a girl who means nothing
to me, and whom I shall never see again after this visit is over."

"All right, Pattikins, have it your own way. Ray Rose is a sort of law
unto herself, and she has lots of friends who would take her part."

"It isn't that, exactly. If I wanted to raise the issue, I'm sure my
side of the matter would be the side of right and justice. But it
isn't worth my time or trouble to take it up. And, then, I did tell
her to go ahead and outwit me, if she could, so there's that on her
side. Now, Elise, about going home. I must go soon, for I want to be
in New York a week before the wedding, and you do, too."

"Yes, I do. Suppose we stay down here for the skating party day after
tomorrow, and then go to New York the day after that."

"I think so. Your mother will be going up about then, and the days
will fairly fly until the fifteenth. It seems funny to think of Roger
being married, doesn't it? He's such a boy."

"I know it. Mona seems older than he, though she isn't."

"A girl always seems older than a man, even of the same age. I want to
have 'a shower' for Mona before the wedding."

"Oh, Patty, a shower is so--so----"

"So chestnutty? I know it. But Mona wants it. Of course she didn't
say so right out, but I divined it. It isn't that she wants the
presents, you know, but Mona has a queer sort of an idea that she must
have everything that anybody else has. And Lillian Van Arsdal