"Good gracious, Azalea," cried Elise, "you'll outshine us all in generosity! I'm making some lace pillows and boudoir caps, but they won't sell as well as your gifts." "It's very kind of you, dear," and Patty smiled at the Western girl with real gratitude. "I wonder what booth you'd rather serve in, Azalea," she went on. "Of course, you may take your choice." "When is the Fair?" Azalea asked. "We're planning it for the middle of July. I think we can get ready by that time." "I won't be here then," and Azalea looked thoughtful. "Won't be here! Of course you will! What nonsense!" and Patty's blue eyes opened wide in astonishment. "I thought I might outstay my welcome," Azalea said, seeming a little confused. "Nay, nay, Pauline," and Patty smiled at her, "stay as long as you like. As long as you can be happy with us." But there was an uncomfortable pause, for Farnsworth didn't second Patty's invitation or make any comment on it. "I'm going down to New York in the car this afternoon," said Elise. "Want to go, Azalea?" "Yes,--I'd be glad to." "All right, be ready about three. You going, Pattibelle?" "No; not to-day. My lord and master is at home, and I can't give up a precious hour of his companionship." "Oh, you turtle-doves! All right, then, Zaly and I will sally forth to the great metropolis." Elise was spending a month with Patty, and was going later to the mountains with her own family. They were all anxious, therefore, to get the Fair under way, and to hold it while Elise was still there. So things were being pushed, and the committees were hard at work. There were innumerable errands to the city, and nearly every day the big car went down and returned laden with materials for the work. Promptly at three, Azalea was in the hall, and Elise joined her, ready for the trip. "I mean to mail these in New York," said Elise, who carried a handful of letters. "I will too," returned Azalea, who also had a number of them in her hand. "Let's take these that are on the hall table,--they go quicker if we mail them in the city." "All right," said Elise, carelessly, and Azalea, with a stealthy look about, picked up the big pile of addressed mail that lay on the table. No one was looking and she deftly slipped out from the lot the letter Farnsworth had written to Mr. Thorpe,--and pocketed it. Going out the door, she handed the rest of the letters, with her own, to the chauffeur, to mail, and then got into the car after Elise. Away they went, chattering blithely about the Fair, and the enormous lot of work yet to be done for it. "There are so many working with us," observed Elise, "that it seems a big job of itself to keep them in order." "It all amazes me," returned Azalea. "I never saw people work as hard as you and Patty do. And you accomplish such a lot! And yet, you never get flustered or hurried, or--"