At half-past eleven, they all went away, and Cousin Barbara whipped out her packets of papers once more. Then she selected several books from the shelves, and sat down to write. Presently she looked up, bewildered. "Can I help you, Cousin Barbara?" said Patty, eager to be of assistance. "No,--yes,--" said her cousin, absent-mindedly. "Yes--if you will please hand me the encyclopedia--the one labeled cho--" Patty easily found the desired volume and carried it to her cousin, who said, "Thank you," and then scribbled away as fast as she could until the clock struck twelve. "Now," she said, thrusting her papers in her desk, "I must go to the Bootblacks' Dinner," and hastily putting on her jacket and gloves,--she had kept on her hat,--she flew out of the room, and almost instantly the street door closed behind her. Then Patty resumed her book and read until one o'clock, when a great gong that could be heard all over the house announced luncheon. Delighted at the thought of seeing the family at last, Patty skipped down-stairs. Aunt Hester was in the dining-room and greeted her niece cordially. "Well, my dear," she said, "I hope you found something to amuse you this morning. To-morrow, if you wish, you may go to school with Ruth. Ah, here she comes now. Ruth, this is Patty Fairfield, my brother's child, from Richmond." "I am very glad to see you," said Patty pleasantly. "Cousin Tom told me you were here, and I hope we shall be good friends." "I hope so," said Ruth, a little awkwardly, for she was a trifle confused by the graceful elegance of Patty's manner. Ruth Fleming was a thin slip of a girl, with a very pale face, large gray eyes, and light brown hair which was smoothly brushed back, and tightly braided. She wore a gray dress and her whole effect was plain and colorless. Her face was pure and intellectual, but so calm and expressionless that Patty wondered if she ever laughed aloud, and if she ever enjoyed herself very much in any way. Ruth took her place at the table without another word, and Patty sat down beside her determined to make her say something, if she had to pinch her. But just then Cousin Elizabeth came in, and Patty rose to greet her. Miss Elizabeth Fleming was a large, handsome woman with black hair, and snapping black eyes, and such a winning smile that Patty liked her at once. "Well, Patty cousin, have you come at last?" she said. "I've been waiting for you several years, and I'm very glad to see you." She gave Patty an affectionate caress, and kept on talking as she seated herself at the table. Patty afterwards discovered that Cousin Elizabeth always kept on talking, no matter what happened, or who else was talking at the time.