"Yas'm," answered Mancy, rolling her eyes with an expression of dubious
approval. "Does yo' know how, missy?"

"Oh, yes," said Patty confidently; "I can make most beautiful salad
dressing. Only it does take quite a long time, and I shall have a lot to
do Thursday morning. Perhaps I'd better leave it to you this time, Mancy.
Can you make it?"

"Laws, yes, honey; and yo'd better leave it to me. Yo'll have enough to
do with yo' flowers and fixin's, and dressin' yourself up pretty. I'll
'tend to the food."

"Well, all right, Mancy; I wish you would. And, now, just help me with
this list. I'll read it to you, and see if you think of anything that
I've forgotten."

"Yas'm," said Mancy, who was most anxious to help, but who had already
learned that Patty was a little inclined to resent unasked advice.

They were deep in the fascinating bewilderments of grocers' and
greengrocers' wares, when Pansy Potts appeared in the doorway.

"Miss Patty," she said, "I've done all the things you told me to do; and
I watered the palms, and I've poked around that bunchy rosebush, but I'm
'most sure it's going to die; and now, if you please, when can I be let
to fix up my own room?"

"Sure enough, Pansy," said Patty; "we must get at that room of yours, and
we'll fix it up as pretty as we can."