Just Patty

and O

lar polygons are as t

h time, as she sat by the open schoolroom window, her eyes on the billo

with Mademoiselle's party to spend an hour in the dentist's chair. But the weather was not conducive to concentrated effort. After an

range; then she strolled the length of the pergola to see how the wistaria was coming on; from there, it was just a step to the lane, with its double row of pink-tipped appl

te if she were to catch the hearse and the train and the dentist's chair. But still she sat and dreamed. Finally, far across the fields on the highroad, she spied the hearse bowling merrily to the station. Then it occurred to her that she had forgotten to

d into a tangled ravine and stretch of woodland, raced down a hillside and across a marshy meadow, leaping gaily from hummock to hummock-occasionally missing and going in. She laughed aloud at t

der the trees. The brook flowed sedately between fern-bordered banks, under rustic bridges, and widened occasionally into pools carpeted with lily pads. Mossy paths set with stepping-stones led off into

ds of barbed wire. Signs appeared at intervals-three were visible from where Patty stood-stating tha

t many Wicked Corporations. He had beautiful conservatories full of tropical plants, a sunken Italian garden, an art collection and picture gallery. He was a crusty old codger always engaged in half-a-dozen lawsuits. He hated the newspapers, and the newspapers hated him. He was in particularly bad repute at St. Ursula's, because, in respons

in other people's woods. Besides, the millionaire person was attending a directors' meeting in Chicago. This bit of neighborhood gossip she had gleaned that morning in her weekly perusal of the daily press-Saturday night at dinner they were s

ted wood half an hour or so; then following a path, she quite suddenly left the wood behind, and popped out into a garden-not a flower garden, but a kitchen garden on an heroic scal

y picturesque gardener, dressed in knickerbockers and leather gaiters, with a touch of red in his waistcoat, and a cardigan jacket and a cap on the side of his head. He did not look very affable; but

aught sight of her. The surp

g!" said Pat

e man. "What are

you plan

evident truth, but she was p

traightened his back and

me from?" he de

y waved her hand l

u belong to that school-S

Ursula's monogram was embla

know yo

to the dentist's with Mam'selle, and she thinks I'm at school. So it leaves me entirely at leisure. I thoug

nearer and stared again. "Did you happen to see

whole place is pe

m to have impre

g' signs," said Patty easily. "You'd never get a

expectedly

agreed. "I've never let them b

asked politely. It struck her that this migh

es, tha

ns were very tiny, and they must be set right-side up with great care; because it is very difficul

rals. He had a very decided opinion on every subject-she put him down as Scotch-he seemed a well-informed old fellow though, and he read the papers. Patty had also read the paper that morning. She discoursed at some length upon whether or

" said Patty, hol

ny?-wh

the charity box. 'Damn' is much worse than slang; it's swearing. I ought to char

penny, and Patty

earn in that school?" he inqu

gly furnish

ilar polygons are as t

he commented with the sugge

greed-"on exa

to be game, and stick to her job as long as he did. Finally, however, the last on

-day," he declared;

n the wheelbarrow, the

Weatherby?" she inquired. "Is h

led slightly as he

been very decent to me, but I don't know a

's horrid!"

e. He was quite willing to run his master down him

an Mrs. Trent, the principal, you know-wrote and asked him to let the

n't mean it," th

l girls running through and breaking down his vines-as if we would do such a

e, he hasn't had your advantages, Miss. He didn't le

them anywhere,"

l at his pipe and studied th

ow he's old, and I dare say pretty lonely sometimes. All the world's against him-when people are decent, he knows it's because they're

e?" aske

grinned

ts of honesty lik

s often the way. Now, there was Lordy, our Latin teacher. I used to despise her; a

out hi

pen

ed him bac

ve never been able to hate her since. And you know, I

e nodded, "and I've alway

're really quite n

iminals are often very pleasant peo

I got up with every intention of learning my geometry and going to the dentist's-and yet-here I am! And so," she pointed a moral

n, "Mr. Weatherby believes in giving a man a chance. If you have any convict friends, who are looking for a job, this is

ave you got him now? I shou

ago. The place wa

een working for Mr.

worked hard!" he added, wi

e appreci

on the whole

ashes from hi

"should you like me to sh

"if you think Mr. Wea

dener. I do w

rdener, what makes

work-good for

Patty

ency to overwork the men under me, I

man to work for him!" sh

" he touched his

ting spot, with marble steps and

ny could see it

who i

least, I think she's going to get it. It's between her and Keren Hersey; all the rest of the class have dropped out. Mae Van Arsdale is working aga

ngle of intrigue. "Is it entir

anybody goes for a walk, she comes back with her blouse stuffed full of specimens for either Conny or Keren

" he declared. "Is there an

ced about

lants," she suggested, "that

ou can carry," he promised. "We'l

irely forgotten the passage of time, until she came face to face with a clock in the gable of the carriage house; then she sudde

cious! I forgot a

ve crime to forge

y, with a sigh, "

nough to sustain life for a

ou?" she ask

ble spread three times a day, and

ookies. Then, you see, I won't have to go back till four o'clock when th

n, and I'll see what the gard

minutes, chuckling as

a picnic,"

mind eating with him in the least, for he ha

side the fountain. He had lettuce sandwiches, a pat of cottage cheese, a jug

tly bully spre

out hi

her p

d into an e

ge it. I've used up

as sprinkling the pavilion floor with white magnolia petals. Pa

to run away from the things yo

this immoral tru

ought to be wor

le matters that might be t

u glad you're

ly g

d out h

it b

s, trespassing on a private estate, planting onions, and picnicking in the Italian garden with the head gardener-she had never had such a dizzying whirl of

heir party a groom-a crimson-faced, gaping young man who stood mechanically bobbing his head. Patty stared back a touch apprehensively. She hoped that she hadn't got her friend into trouble. It

ith a note of sharpne

and Richard says it might be important,

man with a curt nod. The envelope had fluttered to the table and lay there face up. Patty inadvertently glanced at the address, and as the truth flashe

xactly how rude you think I am. Not even the re

w you! I think now that you ha

ed his

be my pleasure to put my greenhouses at the disposal o

led. "That's awfu

d divided the crumbs among

h will you visit first-the pi

unprecedented collection for Conny's book. The big yellow four-in-hand coac

to have me drive

ed on second thought. "No, I am sure it wouldn't be wise," she firmly turned he

s the h

hea

gonette. I think I'

enchanted wood, and held her flowers while she crawled under

nds through t

tely, "and particularly the gingerbread. And if I ever have any

d. "I will find

then turned to wa

perfectly

y!" he

aughed