"No, Reginald," said Ethelyn, "I hate those big parties, they're no fun at all. It isn't going to be a party anyway. It's going to be a tea. Didn't you say so, mamma? A tea is a much nicer way to introduce Patricia than a party." "Ho, ho," laughed her brother, "a tea! why they're the most stupid things in the world. Nobody wants to come to a tea." "They do so," retorted Ethelyn, "you don't know anything about society. Teas are ever so much stylisher than evening entertainments, aren't they, mamma?" "Well, I don't know," said Mrs. St. Clair, doubtfully, "the Crandons gave a tea when their cousin visited them." "Ho, the Crandons," sneered Ethelyn, "they're nobody at all; why, they've only got one horse." "I know it," said her mother, "but they're awfully exclusive. They won't speak to hardly anybody." "Then don't speak to them," said Mr. St. Clair. "I just guess we're as good as the Crandons any day in the week. I don't know as you'd better invite them, my dear." "They wouldn't come if you did," said Reginald. "They would so," snapped Ethelyn, "they'd jump at the chance." "I bet they wouldn't!" "I bet they would! You don't know everything in the world." "Neither do you!" "Hush, children," said Mrs. St. Clair, mildly, "your Cousin Patricia will think you very rude and unmannerly if you quarrel so. Florelle is the only one who is behaving nicely, aren't you, darling?" Florelle beamed at this, and looked like a little cherub, until Reginald slyly took a cake from her plate. "Oh-h-h!" screamed Florelle, bursting into tears, "he took my cakie, he did,--give it to me!" and she began pounding her brother with her small fists. But Reginald had eaten it, and no other cake on the plate would pacify the angry child. "No, no," she cried, "I want that same one--it had a green nut on it,--and I wa-a-ant it!" "But brother can't give it to you, baby, he's eaten it," said her father, vainly trying to console her with other dainties. But Florelle continued to scream, and Mrs. St Clair was obliged to summon the nurse and have her taken up-stairs. "Well, that's a relief," said Ethelyn, as the struggling child was carried away. "I told you you'd hear her yell pretty often, Patricia." Patty felt rather embarrassed, and didn't know what to say; she was beginning to think Villa Rosa had some thorns as well as roses. After dinner, as they sat round the great fireplace in the library, Mrs. St. Clair announced: "I have made up my mind. I will give a tea for Patricia in order that she may be properly introduced to the Elmbridge people,--the best of them,--and then later, we will have a large party for her." This pleased everybody and amiability was restored, and all fell to making plans for the future pleasures of their guest. When Patty went to her room that night, she was so tired out with the excitements of the day, that she was glad to go to rest.