a perfect party! We'll always remember it."

"Always," said Nancy.

There were two thoughts, two pictures in her mind. She was thinking of
Dorothy's first party, when, as a little outcast, she had climbed up
into the branches of a tree which overhung the great garden, that thus
she might peep at the lovely children in their beautiful frocks; now, as
Dorothy's friend and playmate, she had enjoyed this fancy dress party,
in a costume as charming as that of any guest.

She was happy now, and how dearly she loved Dorothy, how grateful she
was for her home and friends!

For days they talked of nothing but the party, and Aunt Charlotte found
it a little difficult to keep them from whispering about it during
school hours.

Three little guests who had intended to come, had, at the last moment,
been obliged to remain at home. They were Mr. Dainty's nephews, and
they had been much disappointed in losing a charming visit in which a
fine party was to have been included.

Patricia, with her usual lack of sweetness, told Arabella that she did
not believe that those three boys had ever _thought_ of coming.

"Well, anyway, _we_ were there, and we had a fine time, but say,--there
_weren't_ two fountains after all!" said Arabella.

"Why, what a thing to say, when I showed you the second one, only it
didn't work right," Patricia replied. "The way I turned it made steam,
so if I'd only just turned it the _other_ way it would have been water."

"How do you know it would?" Arabella asked in a teasing voice.

"How do you know it _wouldn't_?" Patricia replied, and Arabella chose
to make no reply.

After the little happening in the conservatory on the evening of the
party, Aunt Matilda spoke plainly to Arabella about her choice of
playmates.

"I don't approve of that Lavine girl," she had said.

"You don't know her," ventured Arabella.

"I don't need to," was the curt reply. "A girl that can't go to a party
without meddling with things, and getting into mischief, is not the girl
that I care to have you with, and there's no reason why you should go to
the other end of the town to find a playmate; there are enough pleasant
girls in your own school."

Aunt Matilda's words were true, but with Arabella's contrary nature, the
fact that her aunt did not approve of Patricia, made her the most
desirable of all her playmates.

She at once decided to spend the next Saturday with Patricia. She did
not dare to ask Patricia to call for h