"Chick Channing, I think. He's so adaptable and all-round nice with everybody. Phil hates the Blaneys, and----" "Mr. Farnsworth?" "I don't think he'd like them, either. And,--too,--Bill isn't very chummy with me lately." "Why not?" "Dunno." "Did you quarrel?" "Now, Nan, don't ask such leading questions. We didn't exactly quarrel, and yet again, I suppose we did quarrel,--at least, I did,--he didn't. I sort of snubbed him, and he took it more seriously than I meant, if you call that a quarrel. But anyway, he wouldn't stand for the Blaney crowd, I'm sure of that." "All right, ask Chick. As you say, he'll chum with anybody. He's a splendid dinner guest." Channing accepted the invitation with pleasure, and the party was made up. "I don't want anything eccentric or foolish," Patty said to Nan, regarding the appointments, "but I do want it aesthetic and artistic." "You can arrange it as you like, dear," Nan said, kindly, and Patty did. The dining-room was dimly lighted, and the table decoration consisted of an enormous bronze placque, which Patty took down from the hall wall. This held a small amount of water, and on it floated three pansies. The table candles wore deep purple shades, and Nan privately thought the whole effect dull and gloomy enough, but she said no word of criticism. Patty appeared, in a flowing, robe-like costume of pale violet chiffon, and wore pansies in her hair over each ear. "Well!" exclaimed her father, as he saw her, "I thought you could wear any colour, but take my advice, Kiddie, and never brave lavender again! It makes you look old and sallow." "Nothing of the sort!" denied Patty. "You're unaccustomed to seeing me in it, that's all." Then Channing came, and Patty had to bear his disapproving glances. "You're an angel in anything," he said, "but you're least angelic in that mawkish mauve. You look like a member of the Art Students' Union." Patty didn't mind their chaff, and only smiled good-naturedly, and then the Blaneys came. Patty was used to their aesthetic effects, but the others weren't, and though the greetings were cordial and courteous, the elder Fairfields needed a moment to recover their poise. But Chick Channing was always to be depended upon, and he plunged into gay conversation that broke the ice and did away with all self-consciousness.