e."

Naskowski nodded a pleased assent, and Patricia sped away.

She found Elinor perturbed and excited beyond her wont.

"Isn't it horrid? Mr. Benton's come already, and I won't have a chance
with my candy before criticism, as I hoped. I don't know what to do
about it. I did so want to get it off my mind before I got my
criticism, for I'm scared stiff about both of them."

"Why, you goose! Don't you see that it makes it easy for you!" cried
Patricia, her eyes dancing. "You can simply put your nice big box of
candy on the model stand during a rest, and they won't dare ask you to
do any stunts with him in the room."

Elinor laughed helplessly. "I don't know what is the matter with my
brain," she said in relieved contempt of her own confusion of mind.
"Of course, it is ever so much easier. What a stupid I am not to see
it for myself!"

Patricia squeezed her hand surreptitiously. "You're so far up in the
clouds these days that the commonplace side of life doesn't exist.
You'll be all right after you get used to it," she soothed. "You're
going to be pretty free to inhabit cloudland for this winter, and I'm
willing to bet any reasonable amount that Hannah Ann will see to it
that the housekeeping doesn't distract you next summer. She's
perfectly crazy over your painting, since it's like Aunt Louise. And
there won't be any boarders or any other money-making schemes this year
to harrow our souls."

"It seems too good--after all those years at the boarding schools, and
the scrimmage we had when the mortgage was foreclosed--to feel secure
at last," said Elinor gratefully. "Everything seems to be heaping up
to make us happy."

"Time's up!" cried Patricia, jumping up. "Be on hand at the next rest,
angel child. Come in the clay room 'immejit' the gong rings," and she
hurried off, humming a gay little song.

The gay little song persisted, much to the dissatisfaction of the
severe monitor, Miss Green, whose fat and lugubrious countenance took
on a deeper shade of gloom at every hushed note that trembled in
Patricia's rounded throat.

After casting a martyr-like glance of reproach at her, as she worked
on, all unconscious of the mental agony she was inflicting, Miss Green
cleared her throat slushily, and in the most subdued tone possible
addressed Patricia.

"Miss Kendall will not disturb the class, I am sure, if she realizes
that her humming is a source of annoyance," she said, her own really
musical voice