one,
anyway!"

"So much the better," said Mr. Hepworth, calmly.

CHAPTER XIV

MRS. VAN REYPEN

It was about a week later. Nothing further had been said or done in the
matter of Patty's "occupation," and Mr. and Mrs. Fairfield wondered what
plan was slowly brewing under the mop of golden curls.

Mr. Hepworth began to hope his words had had an effect after all, and was
about to lay the case of Miss Farley before some other true and tried
friends.

But he had practically promised Patty to give her time for three more
attempts; so he waited.

One day Patty came into the house just in time for luncheon.

"Nan," she said, as they sat down at the table, "I've struck it right
this time!"

"_In_-deed!" said Nan, raising her eyebrows, quizzically.

"Yes, I have! You needn't laugh like that."

"I didn't laugh."

"Yes, you did,--behind your eyes, but I saw you! Now, as I tell you, this
time conquers!"

"Good for you, Patsy! Let me congratulate you. Let me do it now, lest I
shouldn't be able to do it later."

"Huh! I thought you had faith in me."

"And so I have, Patty girl," said Nan, growing serious all at once. "I
truly have. Also, I'll help you, if I can."

"That's just it, Nan. You can help me this time, and I'm going to tell
you all about it, before I start in."

"Going to tell me now?"

"Yes, because I go this afternoon."

"Go where?"

"That's just it. I go to take a position as a companion to an elderly
lady. And I shall stay a week. I'll take some clothes in a suitcase, or
small trunk, and after I'm gone, you must tell father, and make it all
right with him."

"But, Patty, he said at the outset, you must be home by five o'clock
every day, whatever you were doing."

"Yes; but that referred to occupations by the day. Now, that I've decided
to take this sort of a position, which is really more appropriate to a
lady of my 'social standing,' you must explain to him that I can't come
home at five o'clock, because I have to stay all the time, nights and
all."

"Patty, you're crazy!"

"No, I'm not. I'm determined; I'm even stubborn, if you like; but I'm
_going_! So, that's settled. Now, you said you'd help me. Are you going
to back out?"

"No; I'm not. But I can't approve of it."

"Oh, you can, if you try hard enough. Just think how much properer it is
for me to be companion to a lovely lady in her own house, than to be
racing around lower Broadway for patchwork!"

"That's so," said N