ate,
then. After you get here."

"Oh, no, don't put off your tree! I might not be able to get here much
before midnight."

"Yes, you will. You've promised me for eleven, and you always keep a
promise,--I know that. I'll send for you, and you must come."

"All right, I will. Truly, Elise, I want to be at the tree here,--but
I couldn't help the two engagements clashing. Now, also, to show you
that I haven't lost interest in the Girls' Club, I'll have the House
Sale after the holidays are over."

"Oh, will you, Patty? You're a dear old thing!"

"And amn't I mean and horrid, and a deserter?"

"Well, you're a bit of a deserter, and I suppose you'll rush off to a
Cosmic meeting the night of the Sale, and leave me to run it!"

"_You're_ mean, now, Elise. You know I wouldn't do such a
thing,--unless----"

"Unless what?"

"Unless it happened to be on a night of a special meeting of the Cosmic
Centre. In that case, I'd have to go for a little while."

Just then Van Reypen came in.

"You here, Patty?" he said. "I've been looking you up. How are you,
Elise? What are you girls confabbing about?"

"I'm scolding Patty for her desertion of us and her infatuation for
those Blaney people."

"Confound those Blaney people! I wish they were in Timbuctoo!"

"Why, Philip, how unkind!" and Patty smiled at him in an exasperating
way. "You _know_ you admire Sam Blaney immensely,--only you're jealous
of him."

"Admire him! Jealous of him!" Van Reypen fairly glowered with
indignation. "That nincompoop! with long hair and a green neck-tie!
He's a half-witted farmer!"

Patty's laugh rang out. "Oh, Phil," she cried, "don't be a silly,
yourself! His worst enemy couldn't call Sam a farmer! And I can
assure you, he's far from half-witted."

"Yes, far less than half," growled Van Reypen. "Oh, Patty, drop 'em,
cut 'em out, give 'em the go-by, won't you?"

"Thank you, no. I still reserve the right to choose my friends, and I
confess to a liking for those who are kindly disposed toward me."

"Oh, I'm kindly disposed toward _you_, very much so," declared Phil,
"but your new friends are not included in my kindly disposition."

"So I gathered," and Patty laughed again. "But, do you know, they feel
that they can struggle along without your admiration and affection."

"Don't be sarcastic, Patty," and Van Reypen smiled at the haughty
little face turned toward his.

"No, I won't, Phil. I hate it. And I'm sorry