that it did her good. She
felt better at once, and when they returned to the cab she begged Mr.
Hepworth to let her go on home alone, and not take any more of his
valuable time.

"No, indeed," said that gentleman; "it may not be according to the
strictest rules of etiquette for me to be going around with you in a
hansom cab, but it's infinitely better than for you to be going around
alone. So I'll just take charge of you until I can put you safely inside
your father's house."

"And the girls are coming at two o'clock for a rehearsal!" said Patty.
"Oh, I shall be late."

"The girls will wait," said Mr. Hepworth, easily, and then during the
rest of the ride he entertained Patty with light, merry conversation.

He watched her closely, however, and came to the conclusion that the girl
was very nervous, and excitable to a degree that made him fear she was on
the verge of a mental illness.

"When is this play of yours to come off?" he enquired.

"Next Thursday night," said Patty, "if we can get ready for it, and we
must; but oh, there is so much to do, and now I've wasted this whole
morning and haven't accomplished a thing, and I don't know where Miss
Sinclair is, and I didn't see about the costumes, after all, and now I'll
be late for rehearsal. Oh, what shall I do?"

Mr. Hepworth had sufficient intuition to know that if he sympathised with
Patty in her troubles she was ready to break down in a fit of nervous
crying.

So he said, as if the matter were of no moment, "Oh, pshaw, those
costumes will get themselves attended to some way or another. Why, I'll
go down there this afternoon and hunt them up, if you like. Just tell me
what ones you want."

This was help, indeed. Patty well knew that Mr. Hepworth's artistic taste
could select the costumes even better than her own, and she eagerly told
him the necessary details.

Mr. Hepworth also promised to look after some other errands that were
troubling Patty's mind, so that when she finally reached home she was
calm and self-possessed once more.

Mr. Hepworth quickly settled matters with the cabman, and then escorted
Patty up the steps to her own front door, where, with a bow and a few
last kindly words, he left her and walked rapidly away.

The girls who had gathered for rehearsal greeted her with a chorus of
reproaches for being so late, but when Patty began to tell her exciting
experiences, the rehearsal was forgotten in listening to the thrilling
tale.

"Com