Patty dropped on one knee at her stepmother's side, and clasping her
hands, looked up beseechingly into the smiling face over her.

"But you love silly, foolish little girls, don't you, Nancy Nan?"

"Yes, when they're you," and Nan patted the shining head at her
knee.

"Well, very few of them ARE me!"

"Thank goodness for that! I don't know what I'd do if you were a
half a dozen!"

"You'd have just six times as much fun in your life!" and Patty
jumped up and began to sing the songs she had brought.

Then together they decided on the ones she should sing at the
musicale.

Although Patty's voice was not very strong, it was sweet and true
and had been carefully cultivated. She sang with much charm, and her
music always gave pleasure. She never attempted anything beyond her
powers, and so her songs, while selected with good taste, were not
pretentious.

That evening, while Patty was fluttering around her room, pretending
to get ready for bed, but really dawdling, she was moved to
telephone once again to the young man who was fond of jokes.

"It's you, is it?" he almost growled, in response to her call.