One morning, as Patty was fluttering around her boudoir and looking over her mail, the telephone rang and the familiar "Hello, Princess," sounded in her ear.
"Hello, most noble Knight," she responded, "what would'st thou of me?"
"A boon so great that I fear to ask it! Won't you promise it in advance?"
"What I promise in advance, I never fulfil."
"Don't do it, then! I'll ask you first. You see, it's this way. My angelic and altogether delightful sister Lora lives in Eastchester with her stalwart husband and a blossom-bud of a kiddy. Now it seems that there's a wonderful country-club ball up there, and she thinks it will be nice if you and I should attend that same."
"And what do YOU think about it?"
"Oh, I don't have any thoughts concerning it, until I know what YOU think. And then, of course, that's precisely what I think."
"When is it?"
"To-morrow night."
"Mercy me! So soon! Well, I haven't anything on for to-morrow night; but the next night Mr. Van Reypen is making a theatre party for me that I wouldn't miss for anything."