“Yes, I know,” said Nan, kindly helping her out.  “You have such immense grounds, and luxuries of all sorts.  Why, your place is a Pleasure Park of itself, with the pond and tennis court, and fountains and grottoes and all such things.”

“Yes, it is a lovely summer place,” said Mona, earnestly, “and I should do everything I could to make Patty happy there.  I know how much she wants to stay at Spring Beach, and it seemed such a satisfactory plan all round.”

Patty was still thinking.  But, by this time, she was wondering if she were really a selfish, disagreeable snob or not.  For, the truth was, Patty did not entirely like Mona, though she had grown to like her much better than at first.  Nor did she like Mona’s home, with its ostentatiously expensive appointments, both indoors and out.  And yet, it was exceedingly comfortable and luxurious, and Patty knew she could do exactly as she chose in every respect.

But, again, Patty was a favourite in Spring Beach society, and Mona was not.  This might cause complications in the matter of invitations to entertainments.  But Patty knew this would mostly redound to Mona’s benefit.  She would be asked on Patty’s account to places where otherwise she would not have been invited.  And Patty well knew she would be left out of nothing just because she was visiting Mona.

And yet, to accept her hospitality for two months meant to acknowledge her as an intimate friend,—­a chosen companion.  Was it quite honest to do this when, privately, Patty disapproved of many of Mona’s ways and tastes?  Then, it occurred to Patty that Mr. Hepworth had urged her to do what she could to help Mona,—­to improve her manners, her dress, her tastes.  Patty jumped at this idea, and then as suddenly paused to scrutinise her own motives, and make sure she was not pretending to herself that she did for Mona’s sake what she was really doing for her own.  But being quick at decisions, she saw at once that it was about evenly divided.  She was willing, if she could, to help Mona in any way, and she felt that this justified her in accepting the offered hospitality of one whom she couldn’t emulate.

Mr. Fairfield watched Patty’s face closely, and knew pretty well what sort of a mental controversy she was holding with herself.  He was not surprised when she said at last: 

“Well, so far as I have a voice in this matter, I’d like to go.  I think it’s very kind of Mona to ask me, and I’d try not to be a troublesome visitor.  You know, Father Fairfield, how much I would rather stay in Spring Beach than go to the mountains.  And I suppose I could take my motor-car to Mona’s with me.”

“Yes, of course,” Mona said.  “And father says if I don’t go to Europe, he’ll buy me a runabout just like yours, and we can have lovely times going out together.”

“Would your aunt come at once?” asked Nan, who wanted to know more about the chaperon who would have Patty in charge.