"You're pretty busy, I suppose, to-day," she said, "getting ready for
your play."
"Yes, I am," said Patty frankly.
"And you didn't want to take the time to come over here to see me, did
you?"
"Oh, I shall have time enough to do all I want to do," said Patty.
"Don't evade my question, child. You didn't want to come, did you?"
"Well, Miss Daggett," said Patty, "you are often quite frank with me, so
now I'll be frank with you, and confess that when your message came I did
wish you had chosen some other day to send for me; for I certainly have a
lot of little things to do, but I shall get them all done, I know, and I
am very glad to learn that you are coming to the entertainment."
"You are a good girl," said Miss Daggett; "you are a good girl, and I
like you very much. Good-bye."
"Good-bye," said Patty, and she ran downstairs and over home, determined
to work fast enough to make up for the time she had lost.
She succeeded in this, and when her father came home at night, bringing
Mr. Hepworth with him, they found a very charming little hostess awaiting
them and Boxley Hall imbued throughout with an air of comfortable
hospitality.
After dinner Patty donned her Diana costume and came down to ask her
father's opinion of it. He declared it was most jaunty and becoming,
and Mr. Hepworth said it was especially well adapted to Patty's style,
and that he would like to paint her portrait in that garb. This seemed
to Mr.
Pages:
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130