She asked for you, and I said you'd
go right down."
"Very well; I will," said Patty.
A glance in the mirror showed a crisp fresh shirt-waist, and neatly
brushed hair, so Patty ran down to the library to welcome her guest.
The guest proved to be a large, tall, and altogether impressive-looking
lady, who spoke with a great deal of firmness and decision.
"I am Miss Daggett," she said, "and I am your neighbour."
"Are you?" said Patty pleasantly. "I am very glad to meet you, and I
hope you will like me for a neighbour."
"I don't know whether I shall or not," said Miss Daggett; "it depends
entirely on how you behave."
Although Patty was extremely good-natured, she couldn't help feeling a
little inclined to resent the tone taken by her guest, and she returned
rather crisply:
"I shall try to behave as a lady and a neighbour."
"Humph!" said Miss Daggett. "You're promising a good deal. If you
accomplish what you've mentioned, I shall consider you the best neighbour
I've ever experienced in my life."
Patty began to think her strange guest was eccentric rather than
impolite, and began to take a fancy to the somewhat brusque visitor.
"I live next-door," said Miss Daggett, "and I am by no means social in my
habits. Indeed, I prefer to let my neighbours alone; and I am not in the
habit of asking them to call upon me."
"I will do just as you like," said Patty politely; "call upon you or
not. It is not my habit to call on people who do not care to see me.
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