little Flossie, and longed to please her, so after a pause he said:

"My big brother knows _'most everything_, but just _p'r'aps_ he might
have been mistaken."

It was not much comfort, but it was better than if Reginald had insisted
that Bob's knowledge was absolute.

As Mrs. Dainty's carriage bowled along the avenue, the trees seemed
ablaze with autumn splendor, for the leaves that danced in the sunlight
were scarlet and gold, and the sunbeams flickered and shimmered like
merry elves. The light breeze tossed the plumes on Dorothy's hat, and
blew her golden curls about her lovely little face.

She leaned back in the carriage and laid her hand in Nancy's. Nancy's
fingers were quick to clasp Dorothy's, and for a time they sat listening
to what Mrs. Dainty and Aunt Charlotte Grayson were saying.

Then something made Nancy turn. A little figure was mincing along the
avenue; its shoes had very high heels, its stockings were pink, and its
dress a bright green. A showy hat with many-colored flowers crowned its
head, and as the carriage passed it waved a lace handkerchief, thus
setting her many bangles tinkling.

"That _was_ Patricia Lavine," said Nancy; "Mollie Merton said she saw
her just a few days ago."

"O dear!" said Dorothy, "and it's not nice to say that when Patricia has
just come back here to live, but truly she wasn't pleasant."