the
house party, but Patty interrupted at once:

"Now, Mona Galbraith, you stop that! Adele has a lovely party made
up, and you're not going to spoil it by even so much as a reference to
that man! Roger will be there for Christmas, and if that isn't enough
for you, you can stay home!"

"Isn't Elise going?"

"No, she can't. She's going South next week with her mother, and I
doubt if Philip Van Reypen will go. His aunt won't want him to leave
her at the holidays. Do you know, I'm a little sorry Daisy Dow is up
there."

"You don't like her, do you, Patty?"

"I would, if she'd like me. But she's always snippy to me."

"'Cause she's jealous of you," observed Mona, sapiently.

"Nonsense! She has no reason to be. I never interfere with her."

"Well, never mind, don't let her bother you. Hal Ferris will be there.
You don't know him, do you? He's Adele's brother."

"No, I never met him. She wrote that he'd be there."

"He's the dearest boy. Well, he's older than Adele, but he seems like
a boy,--he's so full of capers. Adele says it's a beautiful big
house, just right for a jolly, old-fashioned Christmas party."

* * * * *

The days simply flew by as Christmas drew nearer. There was so much to
do socially, and then there were the Happy Saturday Afternoons to be
planned and carried out, and the Christmas shopping to be done.

This last was greatly added to because of the house party, for Patty
knew the generosity of her hosts, and she wanted to do her share in
the presentation festivities.

She undertook to dress a huge doll for baby May. Nan helped her with
this or she never could have finished the elaborate wardrobe. She
selected a beautiful doll, of goodly size, but not big enough to be
cumbersome to little two-year-old arms. With her knack for dressmaking
and her taste for colour, she made half a dozen dainty and beautiful
frocks, and also little coats and hats, and all the various accessories
of a doll's outfit.

She bought a doll's trunk and suit-case to contain these things, and
added parasol, furs, jewelry, and all the marvellous little trinkets
that the toy shop afforded.

"I spent so much time and thought on this doll," said Patty, one day,
"that I shall have to buy things for the others. I can't sew any more,
Nan; my fingers are all like nutmeg graters now."

"Poor child," sympathised Nan. "You have worked hard, I know, but
Adele will appreciate it more tha