Patty considered.  She rather wanted to meet this young man, but she was afraid he would think her forward.  So after a little further chat, she rose, saying she must go.  And it was just as she was going out that Mr. Cameron came in, with his violin under his arm.

Patty was obliged to pause a moment, as Marie presented her cousin, but the young man, though courteous, showed no interest whatever in Miss Fairfield.  Patty’s pretty face was almost invisible through her motor veil, and as Mr. Cameron had no idea that she was the girl who had talked to him the night before, and as he really had no interest in girls in general, he merely made a very polite bow and went directly toward the piano.

“I wish you’d stay and hear some music,” said Marie, but Patty only murmured a refusal, not wanting Mr. Cameron to hear her voice, lest he recognise it.

He was an attractive looking man of fine physique and handsome face, but he looked extremely dignified and not very good-natured.

“All musicians are cross,” Patty thought to herself as she went down in the elevator, “and I wasn’t going to have that man think that I went around to Marie’s to see him!”

She decided to call for Elise to go to the art gallery with her, and she found that young woman ready and glad to go.

“I hadn’t a thing to do this afternoon,” said Elise, as they started off, “and I love to go anywhere with you, Patty.  Shall we have a cup of tea afterwards?”

And so it was after they had seen the pictures, and as they were sitting in a cosy little tea-room, that Elise said suddenly: 

“Do you know Mr. Cameron?  He’s a cousin of Marie Homer’s.”

“I don’t know him,” said Patty, smiling, “but I’ve been introduced to him.  Just as I was leaving Marie’s to-day, he came in.  But he was very abstracted in his manner.  He merely bowed, and without a word he went straight on to the piano and began fussing with his music.”

“You were just leaving, anyway?”

“Yes; but I would have remained a few moments, if he had been more sociable.  But, of course, I couldn’t insist on his talking to me, if he didn’t want to.”

“He doesn’t like girls,” said Elise, but as she spoke she smiled in a self-conscious way.

“So I’ve heard,” said Patty, smiling herself.  “He seems young to be what they call a woman-hater.  I thought only old bachelors were that.  Well, he has no interest for me.  There are plenty of boys in our own set.”

“Don’t you tell, if I tell you something,” and now Elise looked decidedly important.

“What is it?  I won’t tell.”

“Well, it’s the funniest thing!  That Mr. Cameron wants to meet me, though he never has seen me.”

“What!” exclaimed Patty, in astonishment.  “Why does he want to meet you?”

“I don’t know, I’m sure.  But he was at Marie’s this morning, and asked her if she knew any girl who was gay and merry and had a sweet voice, and had dark hair and eyes and rosy cheeks.  And Marie says she knows he means me, and I think he does too!  Isn’t it exciting?”