as furiously angry at Farnsworth. So
much so, that she could think of little else.

"How dared he?" she exclaimed to herself. "The idea of his thinking I
am the sort of girl he can pick up and kiss like that!"

And then her face grew pink with blushes and she buried it in a pillow
because she realised she was not nearly so indignant as she ought to be!

"Good heavens!" she thought, frantically. "Am I in love with Little
Billee? With a Westerner? A self-made man? Why, he can't hold a
candle to Phil for birth and name! And yet--oh, no, I'm not in love
with him! He's too--too--he takes too much for granted. It's got to
stop! Think how he carried me out of the Studio party! And last
night! No wonder he walked off home without seeing me again! I wonder
what he will offer by way of apology or explanation. I believe I'll
ask him!"

Patty reached out her hand for the telephone, and suddenly stopped.

"I can't!" she whispered to herself, shame-facedly, "I--I don't want
any apology from him. I--I--oh, fiddlesticks! I don't know _what_ to
do! Guess I'll have a talk with Nan--no, I won't. It was all very
well to talk to her about Phil,--because I didn't care about him. But
I do care about Billee. Oh! do I 'care for' him? I don't know--but
I'm not going to think about it. It gets me all mixed up. I wonder--I
wish I could go away. I will! I guess I can do as I've a mind to!"

After a little further thought, and a determined wag of the head, Patty
rang her bell, and when the maid came she said, "Bring my chocolate,
please, and then get out a suitcase, and pack it for me."

"Yes, Miss Patty," replied Jane, and until her breakfast came, Patty's
mind worked rapidly.

"Jane, I'm going to elope," she announced, as the maid reappeared with
a tray.

"Yes, Miss Patty," and though Jane's eyes flew wide open, she made no
verbal comment.

"Don't look as if you had been shot!" said Patty, laughing; "I'm going
alone, but you are to help me get off. Pack the things I tell you and
then order the little car for me. I'm not going to tell you where I'm
going, for I don't want any one to know. But after I'm gone, you may
give Mrs. Fairfield a note I will leave with you. Understand?"

"Yes, Miss Patty," and Jane began at once to lay out the desired
clothing.

"And," Patty went on, "if any one calls or telephones or asks for me in
any way, just say that I've gone away for a few days to recuperate
after the exert