“It is strange!” murmured Patty; “how did Elise take it?”

“Oh, I don’t think she minded much; she thinks the boy half crazy, anyway; asking her if she was a captive princess!  And, of course, he didn’t let her see that he was disappointed in her voice.  But I know Kit so well, that I can tell the moment he loses interest in anybody.  I’m awfully fond of Kit,—­we’ve grown up more like brother and sister than cousins.”

“What’s he like?  Has he any fun in him?”

“Well, he loves practical jokes,—­that is, if they’re not mean.  He couldn’t do a mean or unkind thing to anybody.  But he likes anything out of the ordinary.  Escapades or cutting up jinks.  He and Beatrice,—­that’s my younger sister,—­are always playing tricks on us, when she’s at home.  But it’s always good-natured fun, so we don’t mind.  Oh, Kit’s a dear; but you never can tell whether he’s going to like people or not.  He likes so very few.”

“But he liked Elise?”

“Oh, yes; in a general way.  But, for some reason I can’t make out, he was terribly disappointed in her.”

“And he’s going to play at your musicale?”

“Yes; and I want you to sing.  We have two or three other musicians, and it will really be rather worth while.”

Patty hesitated.  If she went to this party, and met Kit, all the mystery of her little romance with him would be ended.  He would be more disappointed in her than he had been in Elise, for at least she conformed to his favourite type of beauty, and Patty was quite the reverse.  She could sing, to be sure, but probably her voice would not charm him, when robbed of the glamour lent by the telephone.

“Oh, do say yes,” Marie urged; “it will be a nice party, and if I’ve left out any people you specially want, I’ll invite them.”

But Marie’s list included all of Patty’s set, and as she rather wanted to go, she finally decided to say yes.

“Good for you!” exclaimed Marie; “now I know the party will be a success!”

“You always say that to me,” said Patty, laughing. “I don’t make parties a success.”

“Yes, you do,” said Marie, in a tone of firm conviction; “you’re so nice, and pretty, and smiling, and always seem to have such a good time, that it makes everybody else have a good time.”

“What do you want me to sing?”

“I don’t care at all.  Make your own selections.  I like you best, I think, in some of those sweet, simple ballads.”

“I rarely sing anything but ballads or simple music,” said Patty, “my voice isn’t strong enough for operatic soaring.”

“Well, sing what you like, Patty, if you only come,” and Marie went away, greatly elated at having secured Patty’s consent to sing at her musicale.

Patty at once went to the piano, and began to look over her music.  She smiled as she came across “Beware,” but she concluded that would not do for a regular program, though she might use it as an encore.