“And on her lover’s arm she leant,” Patty took up the verse.

“And round her waist she felt it fold,” continued he: 

“And far across the hills they went
   To that new world which is the old. 
 And far across the dying day,
   Beyond its utmost purple rim: 
 Beyond the night, across the day
   The happy Princess followed him.”

“Through all the world she followed him,” added Patty; “I think our quotations are a bit inaccurate, but we have the gist of Tennyson’s ideas.”

“And the gist is—?”

“That I’m a happy Princess,” she smiled.

“Well, you’re in your element, that’s certain.  I never saw anybody enjoy fixing up a house as you do!”

“Did you ever see anybody fix up a house, anyway?”

“I’m not sure I ever did.  I had very little home life, dear.”

“Well, you’re going to make up for that now.  You’re going to have so much home life from now on, that you can hardly stagger under it.  And I’m going to make it!”

“Then it will be a real true home-made home!  Sometimes, Patty, I fear that with all your tea-houses and formal gardens you’ll lose the real homey effect—­”

“Lose your grandmother!  Why, in the right hands, all those faddy things melt into one big bundle of hominess, and you feel as if you’d always had ’em.  Soon you’ll declare you’ve never lived without a Japanese tea-garden in your back yard!”

“I believe you!  You’d make a home feeling in the Parthenon,—­if you chose to live there!”

“Of course I should!  Or in the Coliseum, or in the Taj Mahal.”

“There, there, that will do!  Don’t carry your vaunts further!  Now come around the house, and let’s go in under the wistaria.  It’s a purple glory now!”

“So it is!  What a stunning old vine it is.  I did think I’d change the name of the place, but that wistaria over that porch is too fine to be discarded.  Let’s get Mr. Hepworth up here to paint it.”

“It must be painted, and soon, while it’s in its prime.  If Hepworth can’t come, I’ll get somebody else.  I want that picture.”

“And let’s have some photographs of it.  It’s so perfect.”

“All right, I’ll take those myself,—­to-morrow,—­it’s too late now.”

“And me and Baby will sit in the middle of the composition!  Won’t that be touching!”

Patty laughed merrily, but Farnsworth said, “You bet you will!  Be ready in the morning, for I’ll want a lot of poses.”

CHAPTER II

GUESTS ARRIVE

“I refuse to go a step further!  This porch of wistaria is the most wonderful thing I ever saw in all my life!  When I heard the name of the place, I thought it was crazy,—­but of course I see now it’s the only possible name!  I don’t care what’s inside the house,—­here I am,—­and here I stay!”

Elise Farrington threw off her motor coat, and settling herself on the side seat of the porch, under the drooping bunches of purple bloom, looked quite as if she meant what she said.