off, "and I love to go anywhere with you, Patty. Shall we have a cup
of tea afterwards?"

And so it was after they had seen the pictures, and as they were
sitting in a cosy little tea-room, that Elise said suddenly:

"Do you know Mr. Cameron? He's a cousin of Marie Homer's."

"I don't know him," said Patty, smiling, "but I've been introduced
to him. Just as I was leaving Marie's to-day, he came in. But he was
very abstracted in his manner. He merely bowed, and without a word
he went straight on to the piano and began fussing with his music."

"You were just leaving, anyway?"

"Yes; but I would have remained a few moments, if he had been more
sociable. But, of course, I couldn't insist on his talking to me, if
he didn't want to."

"He doesn't like girls," said Elise, but as she spoke she smiled in
a self-conscious way.

"So I've heard," said Patty, smiling herself. "He seems young to be
what they call a woman-hater. I thought only old bachelors were
that. Well, he has no interest for me. There are plenty of boys in
our own set."

"Don't you tell, if I tell you something," and now Elise looked
decidedly important.