"No, I won't," replied Ethelyn, stubbornly, "I won't stir a step unless Patty comes too." "But I'm going to take Patricia to New York." "Then I'm going to New York," said Ethelyn, with an air of settling the question, and then she began drumming on the table with her fingers. "I want to go to New York with you, mamma," said Florelle; "I want to buy a new dolly." "No, baby," said her mother, "you can't go this time. You stay at home like a good girlie, and I'll bring you a beautiful new doll." "But I _want_ to go! I _will_ go!" and Florelle began to cry. "Stop that crying," said her father, "stop it at once, and when I come home I'll bring you a big box of candy." "No, I don't want candy,--I want to go to New York,--I want to go--I do-o-o," she wound up with a prolonged wail. "Good gracious, Florelle," said Reginald, "do stop that fearful yowling. If you don't, as soon as I go down town I'll send a bear back here to eat you up." At this Florelle screamed louder than ever, and had to be taken away from the table. Patty felt quite helpless in the midst of this commotion. She had been accustomed to obey willingly her father's lightest wish, and Ethelyn's impertinence amazed her. As for little Florelle, she thought the child was quite old enough to be reasoned with, and taught not to cry so violently over every trifle. But she realized it was not her place to criticise her cousins' behavior, so she did the best she could to pour oil on the troubled waters. "Aunt Isabel," she said, "if you don't mind, I'll stay at home and study with Ethelyn." "Well, do as you like, child," said her aunt, carelessly; "of course I can select your clothes just as well without you, and I'll take you both to New York some Saturday. But you needn't study unless you choose, you know." "Well, I'll stay with Ethelyn, anyway," said Patty, tucking her arm through her cousin's as they went off to the schoolroom. "What a mean old thing you are," said Ethelyn crossly. "You might just as well have said you'd go to New York, and then I would have gone too, and we could have had a lovely time shopping, and lunching at Delmonico's, and perhaps going to a matinee." "But your mother said you couldn't go," said Patty, in surprise. "Oh, that's nothing. I would have gone all the same, and now you've spoiled it all and we've got to drudge over our books. Here's the schoolroom. Miss Morton, this is my cousin, Patricia Fairfield. She is to begin lessons to-day." While Ethelyn was talking, the girls had mounted to the third floor of the great house, and entered the large and attractive-looking schoolroom. Miss Morton was a sweet-faced young woman, who greeted Ethelyn pleasantly and then turned cordially to the stranger. "We are glad to have you with us," she said; "you may sit here at this desk, and presently I will ask you some questions about your studies."