"Would you marry him?"

"Not on your life! Excuse my French, Mona, but you do make me tired!
NOW will you be good? We're nearly home and I had a lot of things I
wanted to ask you, and here you've been and went and gone and wasted
all our time! Foolish girl! Here we are at my house, and I thank
you, kind lady, for bringing me safely home. If you'll let your
statuesque footman see me in at my own door, I'll promise to dream
of you all night."

The girls exchanged affectionate good-nights, and Patty ran up the
steps and Louise let her in.

"Nobody home?" asked Patty, noting the dim lights in the rooms.

"No, Miss Patty," answered Louise, "Mr. and Mrs. Fairfield are not
in yet."

"Well, I'm not a bit sleepy, Louise, and I'm not going to bed now. I
shall stay in the library for awhile,--perhaps until they come
home."

Louise took Patty's wraps and went away, and Patty wandered around
the library selecting a book to read. The girl was a light sleeper,
and she often liked to read a while before retiring.

But after she had selected a book and arranged a cosy corner in a
big easy-chair by a reading light, she still sat idle, with her book
unopened.