Patty reached out her hand for the telephone, and suddenly stopped. "I can't!" she whispered to herself, shame-facedly, "I--I don't want any apology from him. I--I--oh, fiddlesticks! I don't know _what_ to do! Guess I'll have a talk with Nan--no, I won't. It was all very well to talk to her about Phil,--because I didn't care about him. But I do care about Billee. Oh! do I 'care for' him? I don't know--but I'm not going to think about it. It gets me all mixed up. I wonder--I wish I could go away. I will! I guess I can do as I've a mind to!" After a little further thought, and a determined wag of the head, Patty rang her bell, and when the maid came she said, "Bring my chocolate, please, and then get out a suitcase, and pack it for me." "Yes, Miss Patty," replied Jane, and until her breakfast came, Patty's mind worked rapidly. "Jane, I'm going to elope," she announced, as the maid reappeared with a tray. "Yes, Miss Patty," and though Jane's eyes flew wide open, she made no verbal comment. "Don't look as if you had been shot!" said Patty, laughing; "I'm going alone, but you are to help me get off. Pack the things I tell you and then order the little car for me. I'm not going to tell you where I'm going, for I don't want any one to know. But after I'm gone, you may give Mrs. Fairfield a note I will leave with you. Understand?" "Yes, Miss Patty," and Jane began at once to lay out the desired clothing. "And," Patty went on, "if any one calls or telephones or asks for me in any way, just say that I've gone away for a few days to recuperate after the exertions of the House Sale." She carried out her plan with no trouble at all. Jane took down the suitcase, Patty went down, too, by the back stairs, and got into the car unseen, and was driven to the Grand Central Station. Admonishing the chauffeur to tell no one where he took her, Patty bought a ticket for Fern Falls, and in a few hours amazed Adele Kenerley by walking in at her front door. "Patty Fairfield! You angel child! Where _did_ you drop from? The blue skies?" "Not quite. I flew up from New York to beg the hospitality of your roof for a few days." "For as long as we can keep you. You dear old thing! How well you look!" "Don't say that! I'm here to recuperate after a strenuous gay season and a particularly tiring Bazaar thing last night." "Oh, yes, Bazaars are the most tiresome things in the world! You ought never to go to them." "This one came to me. It was at our house. I'll tell you all about it later. But, honestly, Adele, I was just ready to perfectly fly this morning! My nerves gave out, my muscles are all lame and tired, and then, my brain gave way. So, sez I, why not flee away to that haven of rest what I wot of,--and here I am flewn!" "Well, I'm jolly glad to see you. Jim will be overjoyed, too. Come right up to your own room, and take off your things, while I go and speak to Cook. Anything particular you want for lunch?"