Guy Martin looked uncomfortable, and Jack Pennington shook with
laughter.

"Them cheeks is now a deep solferino colour," he observed, and
Patty's flushed face had to break into smiles.

"Forgive me, Dorothy," she said; "I didn't mean what I said, and
neither did you. Let's forget it."

Glad of this easy escape from a difficult situation, Dorothy broke
into a merry stream of chatter about other things, and the
quartette were soon laughing gaily.

"You managed that beautifully, Patty," said Jack, as a little
later, they returned to the house for the last dance. "You showed
fine tact."

"What! In speaking so rudely to Dorothy?"

"Well, in getting out of it so adroitly afterward. And she had her
lesson. She won't slight Mona, I fancy. Look here, Patty. You're a
brick, to stand up for that girl the way you do, and I want to
tell you that I'll help you all I can."

"Oh, Jack, that's awfully good of you. Not but what I think you
OUGHT to be kind and polite to her, but of course you haven't the
same reason that I have. I'm her guest, and so I can't stand for
any slight or unkindness to her."

"No, of course not. And there are lots of ways that I can--"