“That’s good,” said Nan, as she read the letter.  “Why don’t you start right off, Patty?  Adele says to invite some young men if you like.  You might ask Kenneth!”

“No, thank you.  I don’t want any of the boys.  I’ll be glad to get away from them for awhile.  I must have some new frocks, Nan.  Something Springy, you know.”

“Yes, we’ll go and order them to-day.  I’d love to.”  Nan spoke absentmindedly, for she was reading her own letters, and Patty proceeded to open the rest of her mail.

That evening Kenneth came for his answer.

Patty had talked it over with her father, and had concluded the kindest thing was to tell Kenneth frankly, no.

The scene was not as difficult as Patty had feared, for Kenneth took the cheerful attitude of believing that she would yet relent.

“So long as there is no one else, Patty, girl,” he said, very gently, “I’m going to hope that you will yet learn to love me.  I shall never despair, until you tell me yourself that you have given your heart to some one else.”

“And we’ll be good friends, Ken?”

“You bet we will!  You needn’t think I’m down and out because you’ve said no, once!  I’m not awfully swift, Patty, but I’m terribly persistent,—­and I’m just going to keep on loving you, in hope that some day you’ll come to me because you want to.”

“But there’s no promise, Ken.”

“No, dear, no promise.  Only a hope in my heart, too deep to be rooted out, that some day—­”

“So—­me day!  So—­ome day!” chanted Patty in a trilling voice, and Ken smiled in his old, friendly fashion.

“He is awfully nice,” Patty said to Nan, afterward, “when he isn’t proposing.  There’s something about Ken you can’t help liking.”

And Nan smiled and said, “That’s so.”

The days flew along, the spring frocks materialised and the grass and flowers began to be beautiful up at Fern Falls.

Patty went up there a few days before the first of May, and was welcomed by the Kenerleys with vigorous and jubilant greetings.

“You dear!” exclaimed Adele, as after a rapturous hug she held Patty off to look at her.  “I do believe you’re prettier than ever!”

“It’s the happiness of coming up here,” said Patty, smiling.  “I’m so glad to come, Adele.  The country in spring,—­and all that, you know.”

“Yes,” said Adele, laughing.  “You know what the Boston girl said:  ‘Oh, I just love nature!  It adds so!’ You’re like that, aren’t you, Patty?”

“Exactly! but spring is all over the city, too.  They’re selling flowers on every street corner, and all the pedestrians wear big bunches of violets or daffodils or magnolias or something.  Daisy, you’re looking fine!  How long have you been here?”

“I came last week,” said Daisy Dow, “and I’m awfully glad to see you again, Patty.”

And then Patty was whisked off to her room, and not until tea-time did she see the rest of the house party.