Patricia

mbling; so when she landed, a little surprised heap, in the tangled grass, she lay still just long enough for the sma

ere, my countrymen!'" Custard wagged agreeingly, and sniffed inquiringly at the strip of p

ck. There was another tear in the short skirt of he

y; then remembered suddenly what Aunt Julia had said, no lo

t almost as well be one-when it comes to unsaying thing

she came to an abrupt halt. "Custa

this one. The pantry, always an enchanted spot to him, smelled even more delicious than usual. He had quite

atters, not noticing that Jim had been using it that mo

Privately, she considered the average party a great waste of valuable time. Least of all had she wan

iet and shy, and she would be sure to come to the party in a stiff whit

d stay all day, Custard," Patricia said, get

me. Maybe the party could do without him, but he

told him, starting

o her. Swinging slowly back and forth on the gate, she considered this idea; h

he seems the sort of girl not to have one," Patricia confided

he coast

zza, pitting cherries, bu

ifted her plump hands in horror, "

Aunt Juli

nutes ago, your pa sent Jim back for her

trica was saying jubilan

was only thinking out

ut dat ere party, honey; h

her tone so full of some hidden enjoymen

you-un to do everything like you kno

s from the finest of Sarah's bowl o

ec'ble condition, Miss P'tricia. If the rag man was to see y

a was a past-mistress in the art of ignoring what

clean gingham aprons than you's g

she went. Sarah was too fat and too heavy on her feet to get out of a ch

r dignity and feeling, besides, very important-she spoke more slowly

e a prompt: "Why, good

two into her head. Her imitation of her aunt's voice and manner this time was perfect. "Good morning, Mrs. Hardy, I

Mrs. Hardy

eatment for a moment or so-one giggle and th

"it is Patricia's suggestion, so that t

Mrs. Hardy commented, laughing. "I'll

ically. "I really am 'Miss Kirby,' you know," she explained. "Daddy's only got me-and I didn't say a word that

ty under way for that afternoon; then came Mrs. Vail, with her Pa

" Mrs. Vail interrupt

floundering-and Aunt Julia never floundered.

nly," Mrs. V

well. G

ung up the rec

ciony kind-Susy Vail looks the kind of girl to have a suspiciony mother. B

ternly: "What you been up to now, Miss P'tricia? Yo

ia answered loftily, the mantle of her aunt's manner sti

needn't tell me dere ain't some

" she asked, when Patricia came in to her solitary dinner. Neith

e to seven; I suppose they'll b

Patricia for all of her eleven years for nothing. "Honey, what you cog'tati

ty. It's going to be a-a-c

and studying her charge anxiously; "Honey, dat Miss Susy's a stranger in dis yere part-why, she'

cia did not appear

done plan dis yere

didn't ask

e wouldn't do anything to-to

her piece of pie

wards. "Of all the ignoringest young uns! I

! Will there be cherry pie among

te dresses," Sarah protested. However, she brought Patricia a second piece, which was the

glance out of the window to where Patricia lay on the back lawn, under

rry pie? Or was she

zza, "it's getting time for you to

ong ears with a blade of grass, smile

bench; "I knowed it! I jest 'spicio

r back, stretching her wir

dis yere house, Miss P'tric

r?" Patricia

I'd shore say you was onery. I's going be 'bliged to di

to the edge of the lawn. Then, lifting her apron, she

it is, Miss

e slender leg. "Is my sto

h gr

olding up her apron, Patricia demand

you's shore po

I got myself torn or dirty, needlessly, I must put a clean

party in any such fixings! A gingham apron at a party! You come 'lon

very next time'; this

nt, honey-so crisp and nice and all the p

-I hadn't tumbled out o

ph your aunt right o

n she remembered. "But they hav

le ladies in white dresses, and the hoste

stiff and starchy and uncomfortable," Patri

ty dressed like you is now, Miss P'tricia! Anyhow, you're going to have a good wa

y conceded, "only I'll s

tangly order; and when things had gone wrong,

x little girls coming up the path. There were no boys invited. Miss Kirb

r. "I shore might've knowed it! So that's what she was so busy phonegraphing 'bout

ll wore stout serviceable shoes and stockings. Never had those six

ual. "Let's go down to the barn right off," she prop

ed; then the seven stood still

"whatever put such an id

Patricia answered vaguely. "Come on-we'll pla

any horses ther

ot today; Daddy's got Sam a

until Patricia, trying to reach goal by a short cut down from the lo

tricia, wriggling herself free, droppe

your apron, Pat

bit of blue gingham hangi

busy day," she observed;

uld be-fun; and, anyhow, it saved time, it takes a lot of time to unbutton these aprons. Let's go down to the

mild little face took on a look of

ess. "Mostly, when I'm not sure I j

took off shoes and stockings. "It's the qu

ugh in places to make the crossing of it on stepping stones delightfully uncertain, and again narrowing to

ll suggested, and they drew lots

seven; the lead she set them was a very mild affair, lim

f view. Patricia hopped and skipped, and did everything except walk demurely on two feet, out of t

ldn't have been Patricia, if she hadn't slipped and, wit

one by one, ending with Susy, the other five dropped down in the

as quickly as possible. Susy was just the kind to go and

s followers. Never had she led them such a chase, thro

s sent scattering in every direction. While Custard, regarding it as a game gotten up for his especial benefit, urged them on, barking and leapi

w. Patricia felt of Susy's skirts anxiously. "They're 'most dry; let

y said, she was on one side of Patric

elbows, and, chin in hand, surv

ue," Susy

atricia's smile could be very approving indeed. "I

moothness. Wet, bedraggled, but happier than ever before in her life, and joyfully conscious that s

said presently. "It seems to me as i

kirts. "Pretty looking set

ought to be different," she said slowly; "Nell, let's you

tion. Six pairs of eyes

ked. Mabel had a knack

inquisitive at times," Patricia answered. "I rather think the

?" Mabel

d with you. Oh, dear! I thought you were beautifully dry, Susy Vail; what did you go sne

ly insisted on a game of tag; while Patricia herself, accompa

ordered, dropping on the grass. From half-way up the pat

aution; "then we must get to the house as quickly and as quietly as possible and secure

tly as he could to get up and continue their way indoors. Wasn't the pantry indo

p before the side door, Sarah, voluble and indignant, appeared. From the mass of i

ent failed to excite any great apprehension

rty-" Miss

he party with he

o have come home and found that nothing untowards

aprons came gavorting up the walk!" Sarah proclaim

nch. "Gingham aprons, Sarah," she re

ead, smiling, "That re

st time you sets out to give a party for that there young-un, I h

ed to send Sam

ons," Miss K

rs over that 'phone to do the very same-I ain't never held with thet there 'phone, nohow-'tain't nothin' better'n devil

her into the

pretty," the doctor sai

ne fix them all in place and then I goes out to call them-ginham aprons-to come in,-and I done galivant all over the place and all up and down the street and I ain't seen the least speck o' one o' them-but w

ctor said, "there would probably have been-consequences

ed, "with the flowers and all the fixings. Wher

"you really must go look tha

d as he went Miss Kirby saw him put his

oss the meadow beyond the orchard he came upon Custard dining

apple tree, and from the top-most br

ld find a

farther I

e grown-up

ea among t

king a trumpet of his hand

n from the various branches. "Oh! Daddy," Patricia cried joyou

e is Cap

wickedl

ed, as I

oung lady. Suppose you make explanation regardi

see, we didn't feel very partified-at l

other of the seven, nodded comprehendingly. "I quite

most willingly offered hers-the opportunity to go barefoot was too good to be lost; Nell had only one stocking, Kitty none

comparative stranger, remembering only that he was Patricia's father-Patricia, who had invited her to this most wo

tle guest of honor. "Upon my wor

sure that one's guests have honestly enjoyed themselves is to know that one's p

f you-and see if you can reassure Aunt

f wish Aunt Julia-looked at

back steps, Miss Kirby was waiting;

unt Julia exclaimed

hfully, "where's that cherry pie I d

st of it; Custard got the rest. I-I stumbled and fell-into

tion, sat down suddenly on one of the ga

gingham aprons have you

kind of interested to see how many it would take to get me through the afternoon. I had to make it a gingham apron party, Aunt Julia, on a

past murmuring anything; all her efforts were dire

hat young-un was a l

ut of course, after you had said-and I thought you'd feel better if the rest wore gi

Miss P'tricia,"

p. "That is all very

we, girls?" Captain Kidd ap

e," they ch

eadow when we hadn't expected i

gest?" Miss Kirby t

-in theory-it would never do for her to countenance such unlawful proceedings. He rose to the occasion promptly. "Soap and water for

manded, as she led her guests upstairs