And then Patty's next partner claimed her, and Mr. Everson went away. Having done all she could in the matter of conciliating Mona and Roger, Patty bethought herself of her own little tiff with Philip Van Reypen. It did not bother her much, for she had little doubt that she could soon cajole him back to friendship, and she assured herself that if she couldn't, she didn't care. And so, when he came to claim his dance, which was the last before supper, Patty met him with an air of cool politeness, which greatly irritated the Van Reypen pride. He had thought, had even hoped, Patty would be humble and repentant, but she showed no such attitude, and the young man was slightly at a loss as to what manner to assume, himself. But he followed her lead, and with punctilious courtesy asked her to dance, and they stepped out on to the floor. For a few rounds they danced in silence, and then Philip said, in a perfunctory way: "You're enjoying this party?" "I have been, up to this dance," and Patty smiled pleasantly, as she spoke. "And you're not enjoying yourself now?" Philip said, suppressing his desire to shake her. "Oh, _no_, sir!" and Patty looked at him with big, round eyes. "Why not?" "I don't like to dance with a man who doesn't like me." "I _do_ like you, you silly child." "Oh, no, you don't, either! and I'm _not_ a silly child." "And you're not enjoying this dance with me?" "Not a bit!" "Then there's no use going on with it," and releasing her, Philip tucked one of her hands through his arm, and calmly marched her into the conservatory. The seat under the palms was vacant, and as she took her place in one corner of it, he poked one or two cushions deftly behind her back and made her entirely comfortable. Then he sat down beside her. "Now," he commanded, "say you're sorry." "Sorry for what?" "That you carried on with that horrid man and spoiled our friendship." "Didn't carry on, and he isn't a horrid man, and our friendship isn't spoiled, and I'm not sorry." "Not sorry that our friendship isn't spoiled?" "No; 'course I'm not! You don't s'pose I want it to be spoiled, do you?" "Well, you certainly did all in your power to spoil it." "Now, look here, Philip Van Reypen, I've already exhausted myself this evening patching up one spoiled friendship, and it's just about worn me out! Now if ours needs any patching up, you'll have to do it yourself. I shan't raise a finger toward it!" Patty leaned back among her pillows, looking lovely and provoking. She tried to scowl at him, but her dimples broke through the scowl and turned it into a smile. Whereupon, she dropped her eyes, and tried to assume a look of bored indifference.