e had yet seen Lady
Herenden's rose-orchard.

"No, Mr. Snowden," said Patty, "I only arrived a few hours ago, and I've
not been round the place at all."

"Then let me show it to you, please. I'll come over to-morrow morning for
a stroll. May I?"

"I don't know," said Patty, hesitatingly, for she was uncertain what she
ought to do in the matter. "You see, I'm with Lady Hamilton, and whatever
she says----"

"Oh, nonsense! She'll spare you from her side for an hour or two. There's
really a lot to see."

Again poor Patty realised her anomalous position. But for her piled-up
hair and her trained gown, the man would never have dreamed of asking her
to go for a walk unchaperoned. Patty had learned the ethics of London
etiquette for girls of eighteen, but she was not versed in the ways of
older young women.

"We'll see about it," she said, non-committally, and then she almost
laughed outright at the sudden thought of Mr. Snowden's surprise should
he see her next day in one of her own simple morning frocks of light
muslin. Lady Hamilton's morning gowns were Paris affairs, with trailing
frills and long knotted ribbons.

"It seems to amuse you," said Mr. Snowden, a trifle piqued at her
merriment.

"You'll be amused, too," she said, "if you see me to-morrow."

Then something in the man's pleasant face seemed to invite confidence,
and she said, impulsively:

"I may as well tell you that I'm masquerading. I'm not a grown-up lady at
all. I'm not much more than a schoolgirl--not quite eighteen years old.
But--but my box didn't come, and--and I had to wear Lady Hamilton's gown.
It makes me seem a lot older, I know, but I had to do it, or stay away
from dinner."

Mr. Snowden looked first amazed, and then he burst into laughter.

"I beg your pardon, I'm sure," he said, "but I had no idea! And so Lady
Hamilton is your chaperon? I see. Of course. Well, we'll have the stroll
just the same, if you will, and we'll ask her to go with us."

"Isn't she the dearest thing?" exclaimed Patty, looking at Lady Kitty
across the table, and feeling much more at her ease now that she had
confessed her position.

"She is a beautiful and charming woman," agreed Mr. Snowden.

And then it was time for Patty to turn back to Mr. Merivale, for she had
learned that one must divide the time fairly between dinner neighbors.

"I didn't offend you, did I?" said young Merivale, eagerly. "You turned
so quickly--and--and you--er--blushed, you know, a