as, and begin our acquaintance
from now?"

"I will," said the Earl, looking at her, curiously, "if you will tell me
why you seem to have a dual personality."

Then Patty explained her appearance at dinner in Lady Hamilton's gown,
and to her pleased surprise, the Earl laughed long and loudly.

"Best joke ever!" he declared; "a baby like you giving an imitation of
the 'belle of the ball'!"

"I'm not so infantile," said Patty, pouting a little, for the Earl now
treated her as if she were about twelve.

"You are!" he declared. "You ought to be in the schoolroom eating bread
and jam."

"I'd like the bread and jam well enough, for I'm getting hungrier every
minute."

"Well, it's an hour yet to luncheon time; come along and I'll show you
the rose orchard. It may make you forget your gnawing pangs of hunger."

On pleasant terms, then, they went through the gate in the high hedge
that surrounded the enclosure. The rose orchard was unique. It had
originally been a fruit orchard, and as most of the trees were dead, and
many of them fallen, roses had been trained over their trunks and
branches. The gorgeous masses of bloom covered the old gnarled wood, and
the climbing roses twined lovingly around branches and boughs. Here and
there were rustic seats and arbours; and there were many bird-houses,
whose tiny occupants were exceedingly tame and sociable. Several other
guests were walking about, and Patty and the Earl joined a group which
included their host and hostess.

"How do you like it?" said Lady Herenden, drawing Patty's arm through her
own.

"It's the most beautiful place since the Garden of Eden," said Patty, so
enthusiastically that everybody laughed.

Then Mr. Snowden sauntered up, and reminded Patty of her promise to go
walking with him.

"You haven't seen the deer park yet," he said, "nor the carp pond; though
I believe the carp are merely tradition. Still, the pond is there."

"Run along, child!" said Lady Herenden. "You'll just about have time for
a pleasant stroll before luncheon."

Patty was greatly relieved when Mr. Snowden made no reference to her age
or her costume. He treated her politely and chatted gaily as he led her
around to see all the picturesque bits of woodland and meadow. The
magnificent old place showed its age, for it had not been unduly
renovated, though everything was in good order.

They went into the old church, which was on the estate, they visited the
farmhouses and stables, a