nel Bingham
could not stand it.

"Look here, child," he said, "why aren't you more like your sister Rose?
Then her pleasures would be always yours----"

"Who's talking about me?" asked a gay voice, and into the room walked
Patty's sister Rose.

"I am. I have been telling Patty about the invitation."

"Poor Patty!" said Rose, and she put her arm sympathetically round
Patty's neck. "Aunt Glendower is most unkind, I think."

"It can't be helped," murmured Patty, choking back the rising sob. "If I
had been born a sweet maiden who did nothing but stitch at fancy-work
all day long perhaps she would have invited me, but I can't give up my
cricket, my riding my horse bare-backed, my shooting, just for the sake
of a ball or two that Aunt Glendower feels inclined to give once a year.
Much as I love dancing, I can't give up all these pleasures for an
occasional dance."

"Rose has pleasures too," said her father quietly, "but they are of the
womanly kind--music, painting, reading, tending flowers."

Rose laughed gaily as Patty turned up her pretty nose scornfully.

"Let Patty alone, dad. You know very well that you would grow tired of
too much sameness if Patty showed the same tastes that I have."

Colonel Bingham glanced fondly at her and then at Patty, whose face, in
spite of her brave words, was still very tearful-looking. He knew that
in his heart he loved his two daughters equally--his "two motherless
girls," as he was wont to call them--and although he belonged to the old
school of those who abhor masculine pursuits for women, yet he felt that
Rose's words were true, and for that very dissimilarity did he love
them.

"Heigho," said Patty, jumping off her chair, "I am not going to grieve
any more. Let's talk of Rose's dress, and when she is going."

"We both start to-morrow."

"To-morrow? And do you go too, dad?"

"Yes, Patty. I have business in town with my lawyer, which I have been
putting off from day to day, but now I feel I shall take the opportunity
of transacting it with him on the occasion of taking Rose up with me.
Besides, I can't let her go to her first ball without being there to see
how she looks."

"And what about the dress?"

"Aunt says she will see to that, so we have to start a few days before
the ball takes place for Celine to get a dress ready for me," said Rose,
looking tenderly at Patty as she spoke, for the two girls loved each
other, and it hurt her to think that Patty must be left beh