its, and quickly drawing his
hands into view, he stepped forward, saying:

"I beg your pardon for that unconventional note of admiration, but I
trust you will accept it as the tribute for which it was meant."

This was an easy opening, and Patty was quite ready to respond gaily,
when she suddenly remembered her position in the house and wondered if a
companion ought to speak to a strange young man in the same language a
young person in society might use.

"Thank you," she said, uncertainly, and her shy hesitation completely
captured the heart of Philip Van Reypen.

"Come on down; I won't eat you," he said, reassuringly. "You are, I
assume, a guest of my aunt's."

"I am Mrs. Van Reypen's companion," said Patty, but though she made the
announcement demurely enough, the funny side of it all struck her so
forcibly that she had difficulty to keep the corners of her mouth from
showing her amusement.

"By Jove!" exclaimed the young man, "Aunty Van always is lucky! Now, I'm
her nephew."

"Does that prove her good luck?" said Patty, unable to be prim in the
face of this light gaiety.

"Yes, indeed! Come on down, and get acquainted, and you'll agree with
me."

"I don't believe I ought to," said Patty, hesitatingly placing one little
satin-slippered foot on the next step below, and then pausing again. "You
see, I've never been a companion before, but I don't think it's right for
me to precede Mrs. Van Reypen into the drawing-room."

"Ah, well, perhaps not. Stay on the stairs, then, if you think that's the
proper place. I daresay it is,--I never was a companion, either; so I'm
not sure. But sit down, won't you? I'll sit here, if I may."

Young Van Reypen dropped onto a stair a few steps below Patty, who sat
down, too, feeling decidedly at her ease, for, upon occasion, a staircase
was one of her favourite haunts.

"It's like a party," she said, smiling. "I love to sit on a staircase at
a party, don't you?"

And so provocative of sociability did the staircase prove, that when Mrs.
Van Reypen came down, in all the glory of her black velvet and old lace,
she nearly tumbled over two chatting young people, who seemed to be very
good friends.

"Philip! You here?" she exclaimed, and a casual observer would have said
she was not too well pleased.

"Yes, Aunty Van; aren't you as glad to see me as I am to see you? I've
been making Miss Fairfield's acquaintance. You may introduce us if you
like, but it isn't really necessar