s and small bag that she had had in her
lap.

"Oh, pshaw," she said, as Bill restored them, "ain't I awful! That's
me--dropping things all the time! But I can pick them up myself--don't
you be bothering."

She stuffed gloves and handkerchief in the bag, slinging it on
her arm. "My, what a vine!" she said, pulling down a branch of the
wistaria,--and, incidentally, breaking it off.

"Oh, golly! Look what I done! Just like me! But you've got plenty left."
She tossed the broken branch out on the lawn, and then turned to follow
Patty, already in the doorway.

"I'm coming!" she said, "lead the way, Cousin, I'll trail you. What a big
house! Don't you ever get lost in it?"

"No," smiled Patty, "and you won't as soon as you're used to it. This
way, Azalea."

"Hello! _Hello_! This my room?" The Western girl looked at the pretty
yellow room as Patty ushered her in.

"Yes, if you like yellow,--if not--"

"Oh, yes, I like yellow good enough. Don't make any diff to me what
colour a room is. Nice and big, ain't it? Say, do you care if I chuck
some of the lace props into the discard?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why, these here, now, faddly-duds." And Azalea whisked off a little lace
stand-cover, swept up an armful of lace pillows, and was about to jerk
off the lace bedspread, when Patty protested.

"Oh, wait a minute,--of course you needn't have anything you don't
want,--but Janet will take off the spread."

"'Fraid I'll muss it up, hey?" Azalea laughed, "Well. I s'pose I _am_ a
terror! But honest to goodness I can't stand for those ticklers. They get
in my ears!"

Patty sighed. She had grasped the situation the instant she first
laid eyes on the girl, but somehow it seemed to be developing further
difficulties all the time.

"Now, Azalea," she began, "let me help you get your travelling dress off
and put you into your kimono, and we'll chat over a cup of tea. Oh, you
don't like tea,--will you have lemonade?"

"Yep. Love it! Plenty of sugar, though."

Patty gave the order to Janet, who had appeared to look after the
visitor, and turned back at the sound of Azalea's loud, strident
laughter.

"Kimono! At six P.M. That's good. Why, Cousin, I use my kim for a
dressing gown, I ain't going to bed,--am I?"

"No, dear. But we'll have a more cosy time, I think, if you get off your
travel things and have a refreshing bath."

"Oh, well, I'll take off this rig,--I want to be choice of it, anyway.
You have dinner at night?"