Patty's Friends

and always ready for a dance, Patty fell into step, and the two waltzed

at them from the depths of his easy chair. "But what does this gay mood be

belied his pretense at sharpnes

go if you invite us. But what I had in mind

gay enough for that, myself, and we h

ually dined quietly in their own dining-room. But occasionally, when the mood took

iful women in their elaborate gowns, and their handsome,

ad they dined there every evening, but as a chang

," said Patty, "and perhaps my

dy?" asked Nan

ady, with a haughty, proud face, and sad eyes. She always wears white, and there's an elderly lady w

k they live here. But she is so sweet and lovely I'd like to know her. I make

tty. Probably she's the

he looks like a simple, sweet, lovely lady. I'

he Fairfields we

as a little low at the throat, and was very becoming to her, and in and out of her piled-up curls was tw

r seat with a little sigh of content. "I just l

music from the noise?" as

the whole conglomeration of sounds. People laughing and talk

n, "but the waiters here aren'

f the whole scene, and it's all beautif

lender, with a face serene and sweet. Her large, dark eyes had a look of resignation, rather

ed and looked as if she were sharp-tempered. She wore a rather severe even

hite lace, and round her beautiful throat were two long strings of pearls. She wore no other ornament save for a wh

the one usually occupied by these two, and Patty wa

t last, for they were not within e

her admiration, and after a time was surprised and a little

, Patty refrained from looking at the lady again, and

giving a quick glance, she saw the White Lady distinctly smiling at her. Ther

ngled out for a great honour. But frankly, and without embarrassment, she smiled b

ing?" said Nan; "do you

dream, "my White Lady smiled at me,-that's al

Nan, half smiling herself, "she'l

ed Patty, "and I'd be sor

suppose you may smile at her, if she smiles fir

t you two don't know how lo

question, and could not see her without slightly turning their head

her father, "for were you seated here and we t

e that angelic smile called a beam. Now, you're not to tease. She'

the lady for you, if you want her, but I won't have you indulg

at her fath

th Nan and me on your hands, you have all you can manage. So I'm sure you couldn't add those tw

etings of some friends who were passing by the

d Mr. Leigh sit down and have coffee with us? Or, better yet,

re talking, she looked up in surprise as a waiter approached her. He laid a long-s

White Lady, and seeing her smile, kn

rs, Mrs. Leigh glanced across, and said: "Oh, that's Lady

d Nan of Mr. Leigh, unable l

ne of the most indifferent, and the most sought after; one of the ri

Mrs. Leigh returned, and Lady Hamilton came with her. After introductions and a few words of greeting, Lady Hamilton said to Mr

her quite ready to be borrowed. You seemed to cast a

utual friend who might introduce us, but until I saw Mrs. Leigh over here, I could find no one. Th

said Patty, holding up the white

Patty is so fond of puzzles and secret languages, I wasn'

Hamilton, in her gracious way; "and

led her from the room. The lady in black rose from the table and followed t

ceeded to adjust some dainty gilt cups that stood on a small table. "That is, if you are allowed to

as she dropped into the cosy chair Lady Hamilton had indicated; "and

am, my very good friend, who looks after me when I get frisk

hen she talked in this gay strain. Little dimples came and went in her cheek

, but her voice was quick and sharp, and her

d, as a waiter, who had just brough

w at once that whatever it was that made her new friend

he went on; "unless you're car

But I must say I like my coffee at a table like a Christian, a

tude expressed on her face; "dear me, your gout must be

ile came into her eyes, and Patty conclude

e tray taken away, Mrs. Betham excuse

e ajar, and I heard you singing. I am very fond of just that high, sweet kind of voice that you have, and I paused a few moments to listen to you. Then afterward I saw you in the dining-

s around her new friend. "I loved you the first time I ever s

m home and married Lord Cecil Hamilton. He was a good man, but he had quarrelled with my father on a point of politics, and my father disapproved of the match. He disowned me as his daughter, though he said he would always continue the allowance I had had as a girl. I was glad of this, not only because Lord Hamilton, though a man of good fortune, was not a wealthy man, but also

" cried Patty,

Cecil is gone, why should my father hold the feud against me?

of the justice of the case, and quite forgetting t

ine, honourable man, of an old family. He had no right to fo

ther?" s

said Lady Hamilton, and at once Pat

til Cecil came. Since his death, I've longed so to go home to my father, and be at peace with him, but

ve here alone

really an old dear, though so

ou go int

white only, ever since he died, and I suppose I always shall. That is, in the house. I have black st

father in

arliament. But he's of a stu

so ar

subject of myself for the present,

mly; "with more pleasure than