, kept in
the daintiest possible order, Patty declared that she was glad her father
had chosen a wife who had the proper ideas of managing a house.

Nan and Patty were congenial in their tastes and though Patty had had
some experience in housekeeping, she was quite willing to accept any
innovations that Nan might suggest.

"Indeed," she said, "I am only too glad not to have any of the care and
responsibility of keeping house, and I propose to enjoy an idle summer
after my hard year in school."

So the days passed rapidly and happily. There were many guests at the
house, and as the Fairfields were rather well acquainted with the summer
people at Sandy Cove, they received many invitations to entertainments of
various kinds.

The Farringtons often came down in their motor-car and made a flying
visit, or took the Fairfields for a ride, and Patty hoped that the
Warners would visit them before the summer was over.

One day Mr. Phelps appeared unexpectedly, and from nowhere in particular.
He came in his big racing-car, and that day Patty chanced to be the only
one of the family at home. He invited her to go for a short ride with
him, saying they could easily be back by dinner time, when the others
were expected home.

Glad of the opportunity, Patty ran for her automobile coat and hood, and
soon they were flying along the country roads.

Part of the time they went at a mad rate of speed, and part of the time
they went slower, that they might converse more easily.

As they went somewhat slowly past a piece of woods, Patty gave a sudden
exclamation, and declared that she saw what looked like a baby or a young
child wrapped in a blanket and lying on the ground.

Her face expressed such horror-stricken anxiety, as she thought that
possibly the child had been abandoned and left there purposely, that Mr.
Phelps consented to go back and investigate the matter, although he
really thought she was mistaken in thinking it was a child at all.

He turned his machine, and in a moment they were back at the place.

Mr. Phelps jumped from the car, and ran into the wood where Patty
pointed.

Sure enough, under a tree lay a baby, perhaps a year old, fairly well
dressed and with a pretty smiling face.

He called to Patty and she joined him where he stood looking at the
child.

"Why, bless your heart!" cried Patty, picking the little one up, "what
are you doing here all alone?"

The baby cooed and smiled, dimpling its little face