every evening, but as a change from their small family dinner it was
delightful.

"We'll wear our dress-up frocks," said Patty, "and perhaps my White Lady
will be there again."

"Your White Lady?" asked Nan. "Who is she?"

"That's just what I can't find out, though I've asked several people. But
she's the most beautiful lady, with a haughty, proud face, and sad eyes.
She always wears white, and there's an elderly lady who is sometimes with
her. A strange-looking old lady in black, she is; and her face is like a
hawk's."

"Oh, I remember those people; they always sit at the same table." "Yes, I
think they live here. But she is so sweet and lovely I'd like to know
her. I make up stories about her all to myself. She's like Ginevra or the
Lady of Shalott."

"You're too fanciful, Patty. Probably she's the Duchess of Hardscrabble."

"She looks like a Duchess, anyway. And also, she looks like a simple,
sweet, lovely lady. I'm going to ask father to find out who she is."

A little later the Fairfields went down to dinner.

Nan wore an exquisite gown of embroidered yellow satin, and Patty wore a
frilled white silk muslin. It was a little low at the throat, and was
very becoming to her, and in and out of her piled-up curls was twisted a
broad white ribbon, which ended in front in a saucy cluster of bows,
after the prevailing fashion.

"This is great fun," said Patty, as she took her seat with a little sigh
of content. "I just love the lights and flowers and music and noise----"

"Can you distinguish the music from the noise?" asked her father,
laughing.

"I can if I try, but I don't care whether I do or not. I love the whole
conglomeration of sounds. People laughing and talking, and a sort of
undertone of glass and china and waiters."

"That sounds graphic," said Nan, "but the waiters here aren't supposed to
make any noise."

"No, I know it, but they're just part of the whole scene, and it's all
beautiful together. Oh, there's my White Lady!"

It was indeed a charming young woman who was just entering the room. She
was tall and very slender, with a face serene and sweet. Her large, dark
eyes had a look of resignation, rather than sadness, but the firm set of
her scarlet lips did not betoken an easily-resigned nature.

With her was the elder lady of whom Patty had spoken. She was
sharp-featured and looked as if she were sharp-tempered. She wore a
rather severe evening gown of black net, and in her gray hair was