f mulberry-coloured woolen goods.

"Yes, it's really stunning, Nan. I had it made by Alla Blaney's
dressmaker, and it's a triumph."

"Looks to me as if it had been made by a dressmaker in the house."

"Not much! It's a marvel of line and type. Wait till it's all on."

Patty adjusted the shapeless garment, which hung in loose folds from
her shoulders, but which, with its muddy hue and clumsy drapery, was
decidedly unattractive. Over it she put on a sort of tunic of green
and orange damask, edged with glittering sequins.

"Oh," cried Nan, relieved, "I didn't know it was a fancy dress affair."

"It isn't," returned Patty. "They all wear this sort of clothes."

"They _do_? Are they supposed to be brainy?--Blaney, I mean!"

"Don't be unpleasant, Nancy, it doesn't suit you. And, honestly, I
like these people, and I like to be with them. Now, it would be silly
of me to wear my usual dance frocks where everybody dresses quite
differently. So, don't criticise unkindly, will you?"

"Of course not, you goosie. But it seems a shame when you look so
pretty in your own clothes, to wear these hideous duds."

"Thank you for the compliment on the side, but the Cosmic Centre people
think I look rather well in these things. I haven't shown them this
gown yet, but I know they'll love it."

"It's lucky for you your father isn't at home! He'd make you take it
right straight off."

"Oh, no, he wouldn't, Nancy-lady. I'm not a little girl any more, to
be scolded and sent to bed. There, I'm ready."

Patty had added a long string of queer-looking beads, terminating in a
huge pendant of Oriental effect. It was composed of coloured stones
set in dingy metalwork.

"Where did you get that horror? Gift from the Cosmickers?"

"Funny, aren't you? No, I bought it myself, out of my hard-saved
income. It's great! I found it at Ossilovi's. He says there isn't
another like it out of Asia."

"I should hope not! Though I doubt if it ever saw Asia."

"Nan, you're positively unbearable! One more speech of that sort, and
I'll be right down mad at you."

"Forgive me, Patty, I did let my feelings run away with me. It's all
right for you to do these things if you want to, but it doesn't seem
like you,--and it jars, somehow."

They went downstairs, and soon Sam Blaney came to take Patty away.

Nan greeted him very pleasantly, but inspected him very carefully. He
was not in evening dress, their coterie did not approve of