"Quick!" whispered Patty, and Sarah tore off her long cloak and bonnet and veil, and Patty as quickly put them on. Then she took the small basket Sarah had brought, and standing near the door, said, in a clear voice: "You may go now, Sarah. Tell Miss Elise not to look for me this evening."
"Yes, Miss Patty," Sarah responded, and then, as the servant outside opened the door, Patty slipped through, turning her face so that it might not be seen. The Rose servant, thinking Sarah had come out, relocked the door quickly, that the prisoner might not escape, and Patty went demurely downstairs, and out at the back door, without let or hindrance. Once in the street, she fairly flew to the hall where the circus performance was to be given, for she well knew that Ray Rose had probably already secured her dancing costume from Elise by some plausible bit of trickery.
It was but a few moments after eight when Patty walked into the dressing-room of the amateur performers.
"For gracious' sake, Patty, where have you been?" cried Elise, who was sitting before a mirror, making up her face. "Nobody could find you anywhere!"
"Here I am, all right," said Patty, blithely. "Where's Ray Rose?"
"In the next room. Where's your costume? Ray came over and got it from the house."
"Oh, she did, did she? All right."
Patty went into the next room, where several girls sat in their stage costumes, and all with warm wraps around them. Ray Rose was completely enveloped in a long cloak that covered her from neck to feet.
"Hello, Ray," said Patty, pleasantly; "I'll take my costume now, as I want to get dressed in it."
If ever there was a surprised looking girl it was Ray at that moment.
She stared at Patty as at an apparition.