, just ready for bed.

She remembered Patty and Mona, and greeted them without shyness,
clinging to Patty's neck and begging her to stay and sing her to
sleep.

This Patty would have done, but Adele wouldn't allow it, and ordered
the girls back to their rooms to dress for dinner.

"Eight o'clock sharp," she warned them, "and don't put on your
prettiest gowns; save those for to-morrow night."

Patty wandered around her room, singing softly, as she dressed.
Looking over her dinner gowns, she decided upon her second best, a
white marquisette with a garniture of pearl beads and knots of pale
blue velvet. When the maid came to assist her she was nearly dressed,
and ten minutes before the dinner hour she was quite ready to go
downstairs. "I may as well go on down," she thought to herself. "I can
explore the house a little."

She looked in at Mona's door as she passed, but as that young woman
was just having her gown put over her head, she didn't see Patty, and
so Patty went on downstairs.

There was no one about, so she strolled through the various rooms,
admiring the big, pleasant living-room, the cosy library, and then
drifted back to the great hall, which was very large, even for a
modern country house. It was wainscoted in dark wood, and contained
many antique bits of furniture and some fine specimens of old armour
and other curios. Jim Kenerley's father had been rather a noted
collector, and had left his treasures to his only son. They had chosen
this house as being roomy and well-fitted for their belongings.

Patty came back to the great fireplace, and stood there, leaning her
golden head against one of the massive uprights.

"Adele told me you were a peach," exclaimed a laughing voice, "but
she didn't half tell me how much of a one you are!"

Patty turned her head slowly, and looked at Mr. Hal Ferris.

"And I thought you were a mannerly boy!" she said, in a tone of grave
reproach.

"I beg your pardon," he exclaimed. "I do indeed! I'm almost a stranger
to you, I know; I ought to have waited until I know you better to say
anything of that sort to you! May I take it back, and then say it to
you again after I do know you better?"

Patty couldn't help smiling at his mock dismay.

"And how well shall I have to know you," he went on, "before I can say
it to you properly?"

"I can't answer that question at once," said Patty. "We'll have to let
our acquaintance proceed, and see----"

"And see how the cat jum