r will come to hunt me
up, I'm sure, and I'll just wait here."

"Who is your next partner, Patty?"

"Haven't looked at my card; but, never mind, he'll come. You run
along."

As Roger's next partner was Mona, and as he was anxious to talk to her
about her new friend, Roger obeyed Patty's bidding and strolled away.

Patty sat alone for a moment, knowing full well who was her next
partner, and then Mr. Lansing appeared and made a low bow before her.

Now, Patty had not chosen to express to Roger her real opinion of this
new man, but in reality she did not approve of him. Though fairly
good-looking and correctly dressed, there was about him a certain
something--or perhaps, rather, he lacked a certain something that
invariably stamps the well-bred man. He stared at Patty a trifle too
freely; he sat down beside her with a little too much informality; and
he began conversation a little too familiarly. All of these things
Patty saw and resented, but as hostess she could not, of course, be
openly rude.

"Nice, jolly rooms you've got here for a party," Mr. Lansing remarked,
rolling his eyes about appreciatively, "and a jolly lot of people,
too. Some class to 'em!"

Patty looked at him coldly. She was not accustomed to this style of
expression. Her friends perhaps occasionally used a slang word or
term, but it was done in a spirit of gaiety or as a jest, whereas this
man used his expressions as formal conversation.

"Yes, I have many kind and delightful friends," said Patty, a little
stiffly.

"You sure have! Rich, too, most of 'em."

Patty made no response to this, and Mr. Lansing turned suddenly to
look at her. "I say, Miss Fairfield, do you know what I think? I think
you are prejudiced against me, and I think somebody put you up to it,
and I think I know who. Now, look here, won't you give me a fair show?
Do you think it's just to judge a man by what other people say about
him?"

"How do you know I've heard anything about you, Mr. Lansing?"

"Well, you give me the icy glare before I've said half a dozen words
to you! So, take it from me, somebody's been putting you wise to my
defects."

He wagged his head so sagaciously at this speech, that Patty was
forced to smile. On a sudden impulse, she decided to speak frankly.
"Suppose I tell you the truth, Mr. Lansing, that I'm not accustomed to
being addressed in such--well, in such slangy terms."

"Oh, is that it? Pooh, I'll bet those chums of yours talk slang to yo