o her state of satisfaction with her life. Though, as she said,
she was always busy, it was by her own wish, and she would have been
miserable if she had had nothing to do.

Azalea, as Bill expressed it later to Patty, was a whole show!

The girl was ignorant of manners and customs that were second nature to
her hosts, and was even unacquainted with the uses of some of the table
furniture.

But this they had expected, and both Patty and Bill were more than ready
to ignore and excuse any lapses of etiquette.

However, they were not prepared for Azalea's attitude, which was that of
self-important bravado. Quite conscious of her shortcomings, the girl's
nature was such that she preferred to pretend familiarity with her
strange surroundings and she assumed an air of what she considered
elegance that was so funny that the others had difficulty to keep from
laughing outright.

She was especially at great pains to extend her little finger when she
raised a glass or cup, having evidently observed the practice among
people she admired. This finally resulted in her dropping the glass and
spilling water all over her dinner plate.

"Hang it all!" she cried; "ain't that _me_! Just as I get right into the
swing of your hifalutin ways, I go and upset the applecart! Pshaw!
You'll think I'm a country junk!"

"Not at all," said Patty, kindly, "'twas an accident that might happen to
anybody. Norah will bring you a fresh plate. Don't think of it."

"No, I won't have a fresh plate. I'm going to keep this one, to serve me
right for being so awkward." And no amount of insistence would persuade
the foolish girl to have her plate changed.

"Nonsense, Azalea!" Farnsworth remonstrated, "you can't eat that chicken,
floating around in a sea of potato and water! Don't be a silly! Let Norah
take it."

"No, I won't," and a stubborn look came into the black eyes. But in the
meantime, Norah had attempted to remove the plate,--carefully, not to
spill the water.

Azalea made a clutch at it, and succeeded in overturning the whole
thing,--and the food fell, partly in her lap and partly on the pretty
tablecloth.

"Never mind," said Patty, gaily. "Leave it all to Norah,--she'll do a
conjuring trick."

And sure enough, the deft waitress whisked the details of the accident
out of sight, spread a large fresh napkin at Azalea's place, set another
plate for her, and was passing her the platter of chicken almost before
she realised what was going o