"But," said Patty, coming nearer, and still unable quite to comprehend it all, "why don't you have any hair yourself?"
"Well, you see," said Nan, as she sealed and addressed the letter she had been writing, "I had typhoid fever just before I left home, and my hair came out so, that I had to have it all shaved off. So now I am wearing a wig until it grows again. But it is so warm to-day, I took my wig off for a few moments to rest my head."
Patty examined the wig with great interest.
"I think it's wonderful," she said, "is it just like your own hair was?"
"No, indeed, I wanted a change. My own hair is very dark, almost black, and perfectly straight. So I bought this Flaxie Frizzle wig for a change. It's becoming, don't you think so? I have a red wig too,—of short, curly auburn hair. Sometimes I wear that."
Patty watched Nan curiously, as she put the wig on, securing it to her head by invisible springs.
"I never saw anybody with a wig before," she said, "and it surprises me so; but I came to ask you to go swimming with us."
"Can't do it," said Nan; "I have two more letters to write, and then I'm going driving with the Perrys. They're to call for me at four o'clock, and it's after three now. You'll have to go without me this time."
"All right," said Patty, backing out of the room, for her eyes were still fixed on the wonderful wig.
Then she rejoined her cousins, and they all ran to the bath-houses.