, and as they
had agreed that Patty was altogether too young even to think of such a
thing as being engaged to anybody, it was wiser to hold no
correspondence with him at all.

Apparently, this in no way disappointed the young man, for he had made
no effort on his part to recall himself to Patty's remembrance, until
the occasion of sending the flowers.

Patty had liked Bill extremely, but as Arizona was far away, and she
had no reason to think she would ever see him again, she gave him few
thoughts. However, the thoughts, when she did allow them to come, were
pleasant ones. Although she had sealed the note she intended to send,
she began another one, and the opening words were "Little Billee."
This note she wrote in the first person, and thanked him simply and
naturally for the flowers. Then, for a signature, she made a carefully
and daintily drawn pen-and-ink sketch of an apple blossom. She was
clever at flower-sketching, and she sat a moment admiring her own
handiwork. Then a flush spread over her pretty face, and she spoke
sternly to herself, as was her habit when she disapproved of her own
actions.

"Patty Fairfield," she said, reprovingly, "you ought to be ashamed to
think of sending a personal, lettery sort of a note like that, to a
man who sent you the formalest kind of a message! He only sent the
flowers, because convention demanded it! He never gave you one single
thought after that last time he saw you,--and that's all there is
about _that_!"

And then, to her great surprise, luncheon was announced, and she found
that her whole morning was gone and only one name on her list crossed
off!

* * * * *

The club that met that afternoon in Mona's pretty sitting-room in the
Plaza Hotel, consisted of only four girls--Patty, Mona, Elise, and
Clementine Morse.

It was thought wiser to start with a few earnest members and then
enlarge the number later if it seemed advisable.

"What a beautiful room!" said Clementine, as she tossed off her furs.
"Don't you like it, Mona, to live in a big hotel like this, and yet
have your own rooms, like a home all to yourself?"

"Yes, I like it in some ways; but I'm alone a great deal. However, I
would be that, if father and I lived in a house or an apartment."

"You ought to have a companion of some sort, Mona," said Patty, who
thought this a good opportunity to urge Mr. Galbraith's wishes.

"No, thank you," and Mona tossed her he