the happiest girl in the world just now, aren't you?"

"Just about," Patricia confessed.

"I'm not so wretched either," said Constance with a whirl of her golden
draperies. "I've come out of the woods myself. Auntie is so pleased with
my altar-piece that she's giving in at last. I'm to go home next week
and I can go to night life or anything else I please. She considers me
safe since I could paint that picture. Funny, isn't it, that she
couldn't have known me for herself?"

Patricia congratulated her with great sincerity. "I'll miss you
terribly, but I'm glad for your sake," she said warmly. "You really need
someone to look after you."

Constance pretended to be indignant. "After all the mending I've done in
your presence, too!" she cried reproachfully. "I'll not stay to be
maligned like that."

She stopped at the door to add joyfully, "Do come down soon. I want you
to meet Auntie," and she then turned again to go, but again halted.

"Hello, here's the Lodge beauty in all her loveliness," she said,
welcoming Doris Leighton with a cordial handshake. "Come, Doris, let's
grab the future prima donna and tote her to the ball-room. I don't
believe she'll ever get there by herself."

Doris was lovely, even though her dress was not so radiant as
Constance's nor so fresh as Patricia's, and her serene face shone at the
news which Constance poured out to her on the way down. She could
rejoice in other people's good fortune, Patricia saw and, remembering
the Doris Leighton of the Academy days, marveled at her calm
unselfishness.

"Do come over and say how-do-you-do to Elinor and Bruce," she begged,
catching sight of them across the room. "I want you to meet Mr. Long who
is with them, Doris."

Constance chuckled. "Talk about clothes bringing one into the
limelight," she commented. "Here I am all done up beautifully and I'm
passed over for a mere beauty. I won't come and meet your snippy Mr.
Long, Miss Pat. I know him, anyway, and he engaged a couple of dances
with me when I met him in the corridor going over to your room. I'll
find Auntie, and wait for you, when you're through with your Longs and
such."

It was delightful to find herself again in the bright world of her hopes
again, and even the dullest place would have seemed radiant to Patricia
that night, but the ball-room with its flowers and music, with its
pretty girls and agreeable men, remained in her memory as a sort of
Olympian festivity, part dream, part rea