LITMIR.BIZ

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And, then, I have the dearest stepmother. She’s just the perfection of all that’s sweet and gentle and refined.”

      “You’re a lucky girl, Patty, and I envy you.”

      “Now, that’s silly! You’re a lucky girl to have such an indulgent father, and oceans of money, and freedom to do exactly as you choose. Why, you have all sorts of possibilities, Mona. You could make yourself anything you want to.”

      “Will you help me, Patty?”

      “Why, yes, as far as I can.” Though Patty felt kindly disposed toward the girl, and wanted to help her, she didn’t care to take the entire responsibility of shaping her future, and she knew Mona’s pushing spirit would demand this, if given a chance. So she dropped the subject for the present, and they chatted gaily of all sorts of things. And, when at last Patty set Mona down at her own door, she had not mentioned the subject of her birthday, or said that she was expecting a house party of young people to visit her.

      On reaching her own home, Patty related to her father and Nan the experience she had had.

      “You did exactly right, Patty, girl,” said her father, “and I will send the man a cheque for the tube, and a letter of thanks for his kindness to my daughter, just as you told him I would do. I’m surprised that Mona should have acted as she did, for I supposed any young girl of the present day would know better than to speak familiarly to a stranger.”

      “It wasn’t so much what she said, father, as her gay and easy manner, and the way she smiled at him. She showed no reserve or dignity.”

      “Yes, I understand, and I am glad you reproved her. You may do her some good, Patty, by your influence and example.”

      Patty sighed a little. “I’m willing to help her, but I don’t want to take the whole burden of her social education on my shoulders.”

      “Patty,” laughed Nan, “don’t take it so seriously. You’re not employed as nursery governess at ‘Red Chimneys’ yet, and the few occasions when you have opportunity to drop a good seed on Mona Galbraith’s thorny soil, it won’t hurt you a bit to do it.”

      “Hurray for Nan!” cried Patty; “she always hits the nail on the head and rings the bull’s-eye! Well, anyway, I didn’t tell Mona about my birthday, or that I expect company.”

      “It wasn’t really necessary,” said Nan, drily; “she’ll probably be over here a good deal of the time, anyway.”

      “Not if I see her first!” retorted Patty, though she knew in her heart, if Mona chose to come, she couldn’t help herself.

      “Well,” said her father, “now that we’ve all denounced Mona sufficiently, I’ll express my opinion of Miss Patricia Fairfield. Any little girl who pretends to keep her motor accessories in order, and then blithely rides away with an old burst tube in her repair kit, is, to my mind, as I’ve had occasion to tell her before, a feather-headed butterfly!”

      “Oh, don’t call me such dreadful names!” pleaded Patty, wringing her hands in mock despair. “Do let me down more easily than that! I’ve never done such a thing before, and I’m perfectly certain I never shall again!”

      “I don’t believe you ever will,” returned her father, kindly, and he said no more about what was really somewhat culpable carelessness.

      The next day the guests arrived. It was Wednesday, and the birthday was on Thursday.

      Elise and Roger were due at three o’clock. Mr. Hepworth was to bring Christine down a little later, and they were expected at five; while Kenneth and Mr. Van Reypen could not reach Spring Beach until seven.

      So, a little before three, Patty started in her car to go to the station to meet the Farringtons. As Elise and Roger stepped off the train, they saw her sitting smiling at them, and they made a rush for the Stanhope.

      “What a ducky little motor!” cried Elise. “Oh, Patty, it’s the prettiest one I ever saw! and it’s so becoming to you! Shall I get in?”

      “Yes,” answered Patty, as she gaily greeted them both. “I’ll take you over to the house, Elise, but I can’t take you both. Roger, if you don’t mind, will you go in that stage vehicle, and I’ll give you a ride in my car some other time.”

      “Yes, of course, Patty; and I’ll look after the luggage. You two girls go on, and I’ll see you later. Where do I go to, Patty?”

      “Oh, just tell the driver to take you to Mr. Fairfield’s house. He knows where it is. We call it ‘The Pebbles,’ but he may not know it by that name. But you’ll get there, somehow.”

      “Oh, I’ll get there!” declared Roger, and, with laughing good-byes, the two girls drove away.

      “Don’t you love your car, Patty?” asked Elise, as they went swiftly along.

      “Yes, I do, Elise. I love it almost as I would a human being. I’ve never told any one this, because it seems sort of silly. But sometimes, when I’m out alone in it, I talk to it just as I would to a person, and she seems to understand. I’ve named her the Swift Camilla, and somehow Camilla seems to understand everything I say to her, and she almost talks back. Then, when I take other people with me, Camilla likes or dislikes them. If she dislikes them, she shows it by not running quite so smoothly. She jumps and balks and shies, for no reason at all, except petulance. Isn’t that so, Camilla?” and Patty patted the side of the car with a caressing gesture.

      “Does she like me?” asked Elise, anxiously.

      “Yes, indeed! Don’t you see she’s flying along like a bird! She knows you understand her, Elise, and you don’t think she’s merely an inanimate object.”

      “Inanimate object! No, indeed! With her pulses thrilling and her sensitive nature alive to every passing incident, she’s far from inanimate!”

      Patty looked at Elise in surprise. “Why, girlie,” she said, “I didn’t know you had so much imagination in your make-up.”

      “I’ve always felt that way about motor cars, Patty. Our great big car is lumberly and fat, and a little bit stolid of disposition; but father has a little runabout that’s the nervousest thing you ever saw. But this Stanhope! Well, I’ve simply got to have one like it, that’s all! Father’ll give it to me in a minute, if I only could persuade mother to let me run it alone. But I’m ’most sure she never will.”

      “This car of mine seems to sell others for the company,” said Patty, laughing. “There’s a girl down here, next door to me, who says she’s going to get one, too. And I know the boys will all fall in love with this little beauty!”

      “Meaning the car or the girl next door?” asked Elise, smiling.

      “Oh, the car! The girl next door isn’t a little beauty! Well, that is, I suppose she is good-looking in her own way, but——”

      “But you don’t like her, isn’t that it?” and Elise smiled at her own intuition.

      “No, I don’t like her,” declared Patty, honestly; “but I’m trying to. I’ll tell you all about it some other time, and, anyway, you’ll probably see her for yourself while you’re here. This is her home we’re passing now.”

      “Gorgeous place,” said Elise, as she looked at the imposing “Red Chimneys.” “But I like this next place better. This big white house is lovely.”

      “Good for you, Elise! This is ‘The Pebbles,’ and your own destination.”

      Patty turned into the drive, and stopped at the broad steps of the front veranda. Nan was there to welcome them, and the two girls sprang out as Miller appeared to take the car away.

      “Roger will be here soon!” exclaimed Patty, while Nan greeted Elise warmly. “He’s coming over in the stage, and he’ll bring the luggage. Come on, Elise, I’ll show you your room.”

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