Patty sighed. "I don't know," she said, thoughtfully. "There's something queer about Azalea. Little Billee has said so from the first, and now I begin to see it, too."
"She is queer," assented Elise, "but she's so much nicer than she was at first. Ray Gale is very devoted to her."
"I know it. I like Ray, too, but sometimes,—think,—he knows something about her that he won't tell us."
"For mercy's sake,—what do you mean? knows something about your own cousin that you don't know!"
"Oh, Zaly isn't our own cousin, you know. But—well, never mind now,
Elise. This isn't a good time to talk confidentially."
Crowds of people were constantly arriving, and among them were many of
Patty's old friends. Many, too, of her newer acquaintances, who lived in
Arden and also in the nearby towns.
Patty was charming and delightful to everybody, remembering that she was in a way hostess as well as a sales-lady.
Fleurette graced her mother's booth with her presence, later in the afternoon, and quite redeemed her reputation for good nature, by smiling impartially on everybody, and gurgling a welcome to all who looked at her.
The little garments and toys of Patty's booth were soon sold out, for they were choice bits of needlework and found ready buyers.
And then one enthusiastic young father wanted to buy the playhouse itself, in which Patty had displayed her wares.