hat's so," and Azalea's manner suddenly changed. "Patty is a dear,
and I love her. And that baby! Oh!"

"How crazy you are over that child," Elise exclaimed. "She _is_ a dear
baby, but I don't see why you idolise her so."

"Oh, I love babies, and Fleurette is so sweet and soft and cuddly! I
love to have her all to myself,--but Patty won't let me."

"I don't wonder! Where did you go with her that day, Azalea?"

"Nowhere in particular. Just for a walk in the country. I mean I walked.
Baby rode in her coach."

"But you went somewhere. Nurse Winnie insists you gave the child some
soothing syrup,--or whatever they call it."

"What! I did nothing of the sort! Why, Elise, I wouldn't do such a
thing! I love that kiddy! I wouldn't give her a morsel to eat or drink.
I know how careful Nurse and Patty are about that! You must be crazy to
think I'd give Baby anything!"

Azalea's honesty was unmistakable, Elise couldn't doubt she was speaking
the truth. She began to think Nurse Winnie had imagined the soothing
syrup.

The two girls went home, and Elise said no word to any one of Azalea's
strange disappearance for a time.

They found Patty in a state of great excitement and interest over a new
project.

Betty Gale was there and the two heads were together over a list they
were making and they were chattering like a couple of magpies.

"Oh, Elise," Patty cried out, "we're getting up the grandest thing! It's
going to be here,--for the benefit of the Summer Fund, and it's going to
be Vanity Fair!"

"What? What does that mean?"

"Just what it says! It's a big bazaar,--of course,--and we're going
to call it Vanity Fair and sell only gay, dainty, dinky little
contraptions, and have all sorts of pretty booths and fancy dances and
flower stands, and--oh, everything that Vanity Fair suggests."

"Fine!" approved Elise. "Great name! Who thought of it? You, Betty? I'm
for it,--heart and soul! How about you, Azalea?"

The Western girl stood silent. This was the sort of thing that was
outside her ken. Though she had been at Wistaria Porch for some weeks
now, and had become fairly conversant with the ways of Patty and her
friends, this kind of a gay project was to her an unknown field.

"It must be beautiful,--to know about things like that,"--she said, at
last, so wistfully, that Patty put out a hand and drew Azalea to her
side.

It was this sort of a speech that made Patty feel that she was making
headway in her efforts to i