Patty showed her guest to the door, and dismissed her with a polite
"Good-bye."
"Well!" she exclaimed to herself, as Miss Daggett walked out of the front gate with an air of stalwart dignity. "That's a delightful specimen of a caller, but I hope I won't have many more like that. She's a queer kind of a neighbour, but somehow I rather think if I saw her more I should like her better."
CHAPTER X
A PLEASANT EVENING
Marian came to dinner, and Frank came with her. As he announced when he entered, he had had no invitation, but he said he did not hesitate on that account.
"I should think not," said Patty. "I expect all the Elliott family to live at my house, and only go home occasionally to visit."
So Frank proceeded to make himself at home, and when Mr. Fairfield arrived a little later and dinner was served, it was a very merry party of four that sat down to the table.
As Patty had promised her father, the dinner was excellent, and it was with a pardonable pride that she dispensed the hospitality of her own table.
"What's the dessert going to be, Patty?" asked Frank. "Nightingales' tongues, I suppose, served on rose-leaves."
"Don't be rude, Frank," said his sister. "You're probably causing your hostess great embarrassment."