"Nonsense, child," she would say, "don't worry about your housekeeping; why, the house will keep itself, if you let it alone. And you're too young to be bothered with a weight of domestic care, anyway. Now run off and play with Bob and Bumble. Go for a row or a drive and let the breeze blow all such worries out of your little noddle." So Patty ran away and played with her cousins, and they did have jolly good times. There were so many nice things to do; fishing sailing, bathing, boating, driving, golf, tennis, and all sorts of outdoor amusements were at their disposal. The Barlow twins, Nan Allen and Patty made a gay quartette, and if they desired a larger party, there were plenty of neighbors ready to join in their fun. One warm afternoon, Patty and Bumble sat in a hammock swung under the trees, while Bob sprawled on the grass near them. "Girls," said he, "come on, let's go for a swim. The Smiths and the Enfields just went down towards the bath-houses, and there'll be a jolly crowd in the water." "All right, let's go," replied his sister. "Where's Nan?" "She's in the house somewhere," said Patty. "I'll go find her." Patty ran into the house and looked in at the music-room door, as a beginning of her search, but there she saw such a startling sight that she stood spellbound, unable to go any further. At the writing-desk sat a person whose head was entirely bald. Not a spear of hair was anywhere visible on the bare, pinky-white scalp, and the round head was smooth and shiny as a billiard-ball. Then the head turned round and faced Patty, with rolling eyes and a weird grimace. But Patty looked so astounded and frightened that the face broke into a reassuring smile, and Nan's voice said: "Why, Patty, don't be scared; it's only I. Didn't you know I wore a wig? There it is, on that chair." And sure enough, there was Nan's mop of frizzed, flaxen hair hanging on a chair-back. "But," said Patty, coming nearer, and still unable quite to comprehend it all, "why don't you have any hair yourself?" "Well, you see," said Nan, as she sealed and addressed the letter she had been writing, "I had typhoid fever just before I left home, and my hair came out so, that I had to have it all shaved off. So now I am wearing a wig until it grows again. But it is so warm to-day, I took my wig off for a few moments to rest my head." Patty examined the wig with great interest. "I think it's wonderful," she said, "is it just like your own hair was?" "No, indeed, I wanted a change. My own hair is very dark, almost black, and perfectly straight. So I bought this Flaxie Frizzle wig for a change. It's becoming, don't you think so? I have a red wig too,--of short, curly auburn hair. Sometimes I wear that." Patty watched Nan curiously, as she put the wig on, securing it to her head by invisible springs. "I never saw anybody with a wig before," she said, "and it surprises me so; but I came to ask you to go swimming with us."