e
irate old man to strike her. But he did not. Instead, he looked at her
just a moment in amazement, and then burst into peals of laughter.

Surprised beyond measure, but unable to resist the infectious merriment,
Patty laughed too.

"Oh, Miss Yankee Doodle," said Sir Otho, wiping his eyes, "you are most
astonishing. The strange part is, you are quite right. I _am_ a stubborn
old Pighead, but how did you know it? Do I wear my heart on my sleeve to
that extent?"

"Have you a heart?" asked Patty, so gravely that Sir Otho again roared
with laughter.

"And yet," said Patty, thoughtfully, seeing that frankness pleased the
old man, "and yet, no one with such a sense of humour as you seem to have
can be wholly bad."

"Oh, thank you! So I'm not wholly bad? Well, that's a comfort; I always
thought I was. But your friends are looking this way. I think they want
you to rejoin them."

"In a moment," said Patty. "Sir Otho,--won't you--please--send a flower
back to my friend, Lady Hamilton?"

"I would do much for any friend of yours," said the strange old man, very
gravely, and taking a few steps to a nearby flower stand, he bought a
bunch of sweet peas, and said, carelessly, "Give her those, if you like."

Then formally escorting Patty back to her friends, he raised his hat, and
walked quickly away.

CHAPTER VI

HERENDEN HALL

"There, Kitty lady," said Patty, as she reached the Savoy on her return
from the Garden Party, "there's a nosegay from your affectionate father."

Lady Hamilton stared at the bunch of sweet peas that Patty held out to
her.

"My word!" she exclaimed, "you are the most amazing child! I suppose he
sent them to me just about as much as I sent him those valley lilies you
took to him the other day."

Lady Kitty guessed so near the truth that Patty felt a little
crestfallen.

"It was more than that," she said. "I asked him to send some flowers to
you, and he bought these purposely."

"Did he select sweet peas, himself?"

"Yes."

"That means something, then, Patty dear; for father well knows my
fondness for these flowers. Well, you're a dear, good little girl to try
to heal the breach, but I can't feel much encouragement. Father is too
old and too obstinate ever to forgive me."

"And you're too young and too obstinate to go and beg his forgiveness!"

"Indeed I am! Fancy my meekly returning, like a prodigal daughter, when I
haven't done anything wrong!"

"You don't deserve a reconc