r other hand holding the
dog's leash, she turned to Arabella.

"Well, aren't you going to say something, now I'm ready to start?" she
asked.

"Do'no' what to say," drawled Arabella.

Arabella had spoken the truth, which, however, was not complimentary,
and Patricia was offended.

Arabella, looking after her tried to decide just how she felt. She would
miss Patricia, because at times she was a lively chum, but she was quick
to take offense, and Arabella was always doing something that displeased
her.

Then, too, Arabella had a very small allowance, while Patricia spent
money with a free hand, and always "shared" with Arabella. But what joy
was there in eating the oddly chosen "treats"?

Arabella decided that as there was but a short time before the closing
of school, it was, perhaps, the best thing that could have happened,
that Patricia had decided to go back to Merrivale. It seemed strange
that she should prefer to be with her aunt in Merrivale, rather than
with her mother, at their home in New York, but those who knew were not
surprised.

Mrs. Levine was as strange in some respects, as her little daughter was
in others. If Patricia enjoyed being away from home, Mrs. Levine,
flighty, and weak-willed, was glad to be free from the care of Patricia.

The aunt was very glad of the money paid for Patricia's board, so every
one concerned seemed satisfied.

Surely Patricia was having but little training, but who was there to
complain?

Being away from home had one decided advantage, Patricia thought.

She could ask for money when she needed clothing, and when she received
it she could make her own choice of hats, coats, or dresses, and what a
lively choice it was!

She had rightly earned the title of the "Human Rainbow."

She had heard the name, and she liked it. She thought that it implied
that her costumes were gay, rather than dull colored.

Mrs. Marvin breathed a sigh of relief when Patricia had actually left
Glenmore, and Miss Fenler remarked that Arabella was really too slow to
get into mischief, now that she had no one to assist her.

* * * * *

The ride had been a long one, and the car had been hot after the early
morning. Vera complained that she was fairly roasted, while Elf declared
that she had breathed smoke from the open windows until she believed
that she would smell smoke for a week. Dorothy and Nancy made little
fuss about either smoke or heat, bearing the d