"Look," gasped Priscilla. "There's Mrs. Millard going in at the back door." "And there's Patty. My, but she looks funny!" "Call her back," cried Priscilla, wildly trying to open the window. "Let her alone," laughed Georgie; "it will be such fun to gloat over her." The window came up with a jerk. "Patty! Patty!" shrieked Priscilla. Patty turned and waved her hand airily. "Can't stop now--will be back in a moment"; and she sped on around the corner. The two stood watching the house for several minutes, vaguely expecting an explosion of some sort to occur. But nothing happened. Patty was swallowed as if by the grave, and the house gave no sign. They accordingly shrugged their shoulders and dressed for dinner with the philosophy which a life fraught with alarms and surprises gives. * * * * * DINNER was half over, and the table had finished discussing Patty's demise, when that young lady trailed placidly in, smiled on the expectant faces, and inquired what kind of soup they had had. "Bean soup; it wasn't any good," said Georgie, impatiently. "What happened? Did you have a nice call?" "No, Maggie, I don't care for any soup to-night. Just bring me some steak, please." "Patty!" in a pleading chorus, "what happened?" "Oh, I beg your pardon," said Patty, sweetly. "Yes, thank you, I had a very pleasant call. May I trouble you for the bread, Lucille?" "Patty, I think you're obnoxious," said Georgie. "Tell us what happened." "Well," began Patty, in a leisurely manner, "I said to the butler, 'Is Mrs. Millard in?' and he said to me (without even a smile), 'I am not sure, miss; will you please step into the drawing-room and I'll see.' I was going to tell him that he needn't bother, as I knew she was out; but I thought that perhaps it would look a little better if I waited and let him find out for himself. So I walked in and sat down in a pink-and-white embroidered _Louis-Quatorze_ chair. There was a big mirror in front of me, and I had plenty of time to study the effect, which, I will acknowledge, was a trifle mixed." "A trifle," Georgie assented. "I was beginning," pursued Patty, "to feel nervous for fear some of the family might drop in, when the man came back and said, 'Mrs. Millard will be down in a minute.' "If I had seen you at that moment, Georgie Merriles, there would have been battle, murder, and sudden death. My first thought was of flight; but the man was guarding the door, and Mrs. Prexy had my card. While I was frenziedly trying to think of a valid excuse for my costume the lady came in, and I rose and greeted her graciously, one might almost say gushingly. I talked very fast and tried to hypnotize her, so that she would keep her eyes on my face; but it was no use: I saw them traveling downward, and pretty soon I knew by the amused expression that they had arrived at my shoes.