"Nonsense," said Nan, carelessly, "you can't expect every young man to be
as interesting as Mr. Hepworth, or as companionable as Kenneth Harper."

"I don't," said Patty, "but I don't have to bore myself to death talking
to them, if I don't like them."

"No," said Nan, "but you must be polite and amiable to everybody. That's
part of the penalty of being an attractive young woman."

"All right," said Patty, "since that's the way you look at it, you surely
can't have any objection to receiving Mr. Roland if he calls, for I warn
you that I shan't appear."

But it so happened that when a caller came one afternoon, Nan was not at
home, and Patty was.

The maid brought the card to Patty, who was reading in her own room, and
when she looked at it and saw the name of Mr. Charles Roland upon it, she
exclaimed in dismay.

"I don't want to go down," she said, "I wish he hadn't come."

"It's a lady, Miss Patty," said the girl.

"A lady?" said Patty, wonderingly, "why this is a gentleman's card."

"Yes, ma'am, I know it, but it's a lady that called. She's down in the
parlour, waiting, and that's the card she gave me. She's a large lady,
Miss Patty, with greyish hair, and she seems in a terrible fluster."

"Very mysterious," said Patty, "but I'll go down and see what it's all
about."

Patty went down to the parlour, and found Mrs. Roland there. She did
indeed look bewildered, and as soon as Patty entered the room she began
to talk volubly.

"Excuse my rushing over like this, my dear," she said, "but I am in such
trouble, and I wonder if you won't help me out. We're neighbours, you
know, and I'm sure I'd do as much for you. I asked for Mrs. Fairfield,
but she isn't at home, so I asked for you."

"But the card you sent up had Mr. Charles Roland's name on it," said
Patty, smiling.

"Oh, my dear, is that so? What a mistake to make! You see I carry
Charlie's cards around with my own, and I must have sent the wrong one.
I'm so nearsighted I can't see anything without my glasses, anyway, and
my glasses are always lost."

Patty felt sorry for the old lady, who seemed in such a bewildered state,
and she said, "No matter about the card, Mrs. Roland, what can I do for
you?"

"Why it's just this," said her visitor. "I want to borrow your house.
Just for the night, I'll return it to-morrow in perfect order."

"Borrow this house?" repeated Patty, wondering if her guest were really
sane.

"Yes," said Mrs. Roland; "now wait, a