re than bread and milk on the tray Sarah carried.
Patricia stared at the generous square of strawberry shortcake,
plentifully supplied with cream, in wondering silence.

Sarah brought a small table to the side of the bed. "Miss Julia, she
done send some message 'bout this 'ere cake, Miss P'tricia; but, law
o' mercy, I'se clean forgot the most 'portant word. Hit were something
'bout you-uns having had a fat-fat-"

"Fatiguing day?" Patricia suggested, taking little anticipatory pickings
at the corners of the shortcake.

Sarah nodded her turbaned head. "Where's you-un been all day, Miss
P'tricia?" she enquired, severely.

"If you don't mind, Sarah--I'm very hungry and tired--I won't go into
that at present. I had something very important to see to."

"Humph!" Sarah grunted. "Nice doings, worrying your pore aunt near to
'straction--the doctor, he ain't come home to dinner--to hear 'bout your
carryings-on. What you think he's goin' say--when Miss Julia tells him?"

Patricia was absorbed in eating bread and milk. "It must be dreadful to
be really starved, Sarah," she observed.

"Where you get your dinner, Miss P'tricia?"

"I didn't have any," Patricia answered.

"My sakes!" Further speech failed Sarah. She turned away.

Patricia's next visitor was old Caesar. Standing by the bed, he asked as
plainly as dog may what in the world she was doing there at that time
of day? He accepted solemnly his share of the good things going, then
stretched himself out on the floor beside the bed, to mount guard--but
not until he had told her as forcibly as he could that the summer
evening was unusually fine, and that there were several little affairs
in the garden requiring their joint supervision.

"But I can't go, Caesar," Patricia told him. She was always sure that her
dumb friends understood quite well all she said to them. "There comes
Daddy now."

"It doesn't seem to be solitary confinement, Patricia," Dr. Kirby said,
as he came in and seated himself on the side of the bed.

Patricia stretched out a welcoming hand. "It's hours and hours since
I've seen you, Daddy."

Dr. Kirby took the outstretched hand gravely. "From your aunt's account,
there would appear to have been hours and hours in which she did not see
you, Patricia?"

"I'm afraid I was gone a long while, Daddy; but I came home just as soon
as I got things straightened out.

"Suppose you give me the particulars, Patricia."

And moving so as to rest her head on