"Of course! Did you think she'd look vacant?"

"They often do," said Chick, sagely. "Why, my cousin's baby looks
positively idiotic at times,--but this mite,--she knows it all!"

And Fleurette did look wise. Being in benign mood, she smiled at the big
man who held her so gently, and put out a tentative fist toward his face.

"Born flirt," he declared, "just like her mother! Well, Patty, she's
a wonder-child,--oh, I know 'em!--and I hereby constitute myself her
godfather, without waiting to be asked."

"Good! We accept the honour. Make a bow, Fleurette."

"No, the honour is mine. She doesn't quite take it all in, yet,--but in
days to come, she may feel real need of a godfather and I'll be there!"

"What do godfathers do? I never had any."

"I'm not quite sure, myself. I'm going to get a field-book,--or First
Lessons in Godfathering, or something like that. But, anyway, I'm hers!
Oh, Patty, she's going to grow up a beauty! Did you ever see such eyes!"

Patty laughed at Chick's enthusiasm, which was too patently genuine to be
mere polite flattery, and entirely agreed in his opinion as to the good
looks of the small Fleurette.

"What did you bring her?" she asked, and Chick drew from his pocket a set
of small gold pins.

"For her bibs and tuckers," he explained. "At least that's what they told
me at the shop. I don't know much about such things."

"They're just right," Patty said, "and they're her very first
present,--outside the family. Thank you a thousand times,--you're
very thoughtful, Chick."

"I hoped you'd like 'em," and the big, warm-hearted chap smiled with
gratification. "Dress her up in them to-morrow, will you?"

And Patty promised she would.

CHAPTER III

BETTY GALE

Seated at the head of her own dinner table that evening, Patty felt
decidedly in her element. Always of a hospitable nature, always
efficient in household matters, she played her role of hostess with a
sweet simplicity and a winning grace that charmed all her guests.

Farnsworth, opposite her at the big, round table, was a quiet, dignified
and well-mannered host. He had not Patty's native ability to entertain,
but he was honestly anxious that his guests should be pleased and he did
all in his power to help along. Patty had coached him on many minor
points, for Little Billee had been brought up in simple surroundings and
unaccustomed to what he at first called Patty's frills and fal-lals.

But she had convinced him th