as well as the flowers, so we must take the consequences. But they
can't reach those that are up high, and as soon as the party is over,
I'm going to put them all in fresh water----"

"What! the party?" and Kenneth looked astounded.

"I mean the flowers," said Patty, not deigning to laugh at his
foolishness. "And then, to-morrow morning, I'm going to send them all
to the hospital."

"The people?" said Kenneth again. "That's thoughtful of you, Patty! I
have no doubt they'll be in condition to go. I'm about ready, myself."

"Well, you may go now," and Patty smiled at him. "Your work is done
here, and I'm going away to dress. Good-bye, Ken; this is the last
time you'll see me as a little girl. When next we meet, I shall be a
young lady, a fully-fledged society lady, whose only thoughts will be
for dancing and gaiety of all sorts."

"Nonsense," said Kenneth; "you can't scare me. You'll be the same old
Patty, foolish and irresponsible,--but sunshiny and sweet as ever."

"Thank you, Ken," said Patty, for there was a note of earnestness in
Kenneth's voice that the girl was quick to catch. They had been
friends since childhood, and while Patty did not take her "coming out"
very seriously, yet she realised that it meant she was grown up and a
child no longer.

"Don't let it all spoil you, Patty." It was Mr. Hepworth who said
this, as he was about to follow Kenneth out. "I have a right to
lecture you, you know, and I want to warn you----"

"Oh, don't do it now, Mr. Hepworth," said Patty, laughing; "the
occasion is solemn enough, I'm sure, and if you lecture me, I shall
burst into large weeps of tears! Do let me 'come out' without being
lectured, and you can come round to-morrow and give me all the
warnings you like."

"You're right, little Patty," and Hepworth looked at her kindly. "I
ought not to spoil one of the happiest days of your life with too
serious thought. Yours is a butterfly nature----"

"But butterfly natures are nice; aren't they, Mr. Hepworth?" and Patty
looked up at him with the roguishness that she could never quite
control.

"Yes,----" and the man hesitated a moment, as he looked into Patty's
blue eyes. Then, suddenly, "Yes, indeed, _very_ nice." And, turning
abruptly, he left her.

"Now, you girls, skip," ordered Patty.

"You haven't more than time to fly home and get dressed, for I don't
want you to be late and delay the ceremony."

"Gracious! it sounds like a wedding," cried Mona, laughing.