Though Nan's face had assumed the expression of an owl named Solomon,
there was a smile in her eyes, and Patty well knew that her stepmother's
views agreed with her own, rather than with those of her father.

It was the last week in September, and the Fairfields were again in
their pleasant city home after their summer in the country.

Patty and Nan were both fond of city life, and were looking forward to a
delightful winter. Of course Patty was too young to be in society, but
there were many simple pleasures which she was privileged to enjoy, and
she and Nan had planned a series of delightful affairs, quite apart from
the more elaborate functions which Nan would attend with her husband.

But Mr. Fairfield had suddenly interfered with their plans by announcing
his decision that Patty should go to college.

This had raised such a storm of dissension from both Nan and Patty that
Mr. Fairfield so far amended his resolution as to propose a boarding-
school instead.

But Patty was equally dismayed at the thought of either, and rebelled at
the suggestion of going away from home. And as Nan quite coincided with
Patty in her opinions on this matter, she was fighting bravely for their
victory against Mr. Fairfield's very determined opposition.

All her life Patty had deferred to her father's advice, not only
willingly, but gladly; but in the matter of school she had very strong
prejudices. She had never enjoyed school life, and during her last year
at Miss Oliphant's she had worked so hard that she had almost succumbed