don't know. I'm told they're very proud people, and would not accept
charity. Of course she never can earn anything by her work if she stays
at home; and as she can't get away, it seems to be a deadlock."

"I'd like to help her," said Patty, slowly. "I do think she ought to have
ingenuity enough to help herself, but if she hasn't, I'd like to help
her."

"How can you?" asked Nan.

"I don't know. But the way to find out how to do things is to do them."

"Oh, dear," moaned Mr. Hepworth, in mock despair. "I said I feared you
were clever. Don't say those things, Patty, you'll ruin your reputation
as a beauty."

"Pooh!" said Patty, who sometimes didn't know whether Mr. Hepworth was
teasing her or not, "that isn't a clever thing to say."

"Well, if you don't mean it for an epigram, I'll forgive you,--but don't
let it happen again. Now, as to Christine Farley. I'll let you be clever
for once, if you'll turn your cleverness to devising some way to aid her
to an art education. Can you think of any way?"

"I can think of dozens," returned Patty, "but the only thing to do is for
her to come to New York, get a scholarship at the Art School, and then
board in a hall bedroom,--art students always do that,--and they have
jolly good times with chafing dishes and palette knives, and such things.
I've read about 'em."

"Yes," said Mr. Hepworth, "but how is she to pay the board for the hall
bedroom? They are really quite poor, I'm told."

"Well!" said Patty, scornfully, "anybody,--the merest infant,--could earn
enough money outside class hours to pay a small sum like that, I should
hope! Why, how much would such board cost?"

"Patty, child," said her father, "you don't know much of social
economics, do you? I fancy the young woman could board properly for about
twelve or fifteen dollars a week; eh, Hepworth?"

"Yes; I daresay fifteen dollars a week would cover her expenses,
including her art materials. Of course this would mean literally the
'hall bedroom' in a very modest boarding-house."

"Well!" went on Patty, "and do you mean to say that this girl couldn't
earn fifteen dollars a week, and attend her classes, too?"

"I mean to say just that," said Mr. Hepworth, seriously.

"I agree with you," said Nan. "Why, I couldn't earn fifteen dollars a
week, and stay at home from the classes."

"Oh, Nan!" cried Patty, "you could! I'm sure you could! Why, I'll bet I
could earn fifteen dollars a week, and have plenty of time left