ort, I'm not afraid of her. I thought she
was haughty and sarcastic."

"Oh, no, nothing like that. She's full of mischief and awfully
good-natured. But she'll resent Bob's putting you in her place. Don't
think of it, Patty. It's all a trifle. She'll have some other part,
just as good."

"Very well, I'll turn me thinks toward me frock. What say to pale blue
tulle, with silver lace by way of trimmin's?"

"Fine! And after you get yours all planned will you help me with mine?"

"Will I! I live but for that! You, my Elise, must wear corn colour,
or, say, maize colour, and poppies."

"Yes, now that you speak of it, that's just what I want. Shall us ask
Philip down, Patty?"

"No; I'd like to have one time of my life without his revered presence."

"Look here, Patty, between you and me and the circus, aren't you
expecting to be the eventual Mrs. Philip?"

"Oh, Elise, don't bother me about such far-away eventualities."

"All right, I won't, 'cause I know all about that. You're trying him
out, and if he passes his exams, you're going to say yes, pretty soon,
now."

"Good gracious! I believe my loving friends know more about my affairs
than I do myself!"

"If we didn't we wouldn't know much! You are the most wabbly-hearted
person I ever knew! Say, Pats, what did you do to big Bill Farnsworth
to send him flying off out West again?"

"I?" and Patty opened her blue eyes wide at Elise.

"Yes, you, you saucer-eyed doll! One day, he was shining brightly all
over the place, and the next, he was like a thunder cloud, and departed
straightway for the wild and woolly."

"Oh, well, Elise, I can't feel sure that it's precisely your affair;
but, as you show a polite interest, I don't mind telling you that we
quarrelled."

"About Philip Van Reypen."

"Clairvoyant! Well, if you will have it so,--yes."

"Oh, Patty, then you do like Phil better than Mr. Farnsworth!"

"Do I?"

"You must! or you never would have sent one away because of the other.
And, Patty, you did just right. Phil Van Reypen is worth a dozen of
that Western giant. He's nice, Mr. Farnsworth is, but Philip is so
much more--oh,--aristocratic and--and smart-looking, you know."

"Bill is smart enough," said Patty, thoughtfully.

"I don't mean smart in the sense of clever, but----"

"I know; you mean well-dressed and fashionable."

"Yes, and correct-mannered, and generally all round a gentleman."

"Bill Farnsworth is a gentleman."

"O