e and Mr.
Hepworth were directly below them, and then Elise and Kenneth.

Mr. Van Reypen and Roger Farrington declared their intention of making
a raid on the dining-room and kidnapping waiters with trays of
supplies. On their return the supper plates were passed up to those on
the stairs, and Van Reypen and Roger calmly walked away.

Patty knew perfectly well what they meant. They intended her to
understand that if she and Mona persisted in cultivating the
acquaintance of the man they considered objectionable, they did not
care to be of the party.

"Which is perfectly ridiculous!" said Patty to herself, as she
realised the state of things. "Those boys needn't think they can
dictate to me at my own party!"

Whereupon, perverse Patty began to make herself extremely and
especially agreeable to Mr. Lansing, and Mona was greatly delighted at
the turn things had taken.

Christine and Mr. Hepworth joined in the conversation, and perhaps
because of what Patty had said earlier in the evening, Mr. Lansing
avoided to a great extent the use of slang expressions, and made
himself really interesting and entertaining.

"What a fascinating man he is," said Christine later, to Patty, when
Mona and her new friend had walked away to the "extra" supper dance.

"Do you think so?" said Patty, looking at Christine in astonishment.
"He was rather nicer than I thought him at first, but, Christine, I
never dreamed _you_ would approve of him! But you never can tell when
a quiet little mouse like you is going to break loose. Why did you
like him, Christine?"

"I don't know exactly; only he seemed so breezy and unusual."

"Yes, he's that," and Patty wagged her head, knowingly; "but I don't
like him very much, Christine, and you mustn't, either. Now run away
and play."

Patty's last direction was because she saw a young man coming to ask
Christine for this dance; while two others were rapidly coming toward
herself.

The rest of the evening was danced gaily away, but neither Roger nor
Philip Van Reypen came near Patty. To be sure, she had plenty of
partners, but she felt a little offended at her two friends' attitude,
for she knew she hadn't really deserved it.

But when the dance was over, Patty's good-nights to Roger and Philip
were quite as gentle and cordial as those she said to any one else.
She smiled her best smiles at them, and though not as responsive as
usual, they made polite adieux and departed with no further reference