The tears came into Florrie’s eyes as she spoke, and Patty was amazed that this cold-blooded girl should be so moved at the mere thought of the spring landscape.

“I should dearly love to visit you, Florrie, but I can’t promise, of course, for I’m with the Farringtons, and must do as they say.”

“Yes, of course; but I do hope you can come.  You would love our country place, Patty; it is so large, and so old, and so beautiful.”

Florrie said this with no effect of boasting, but merely with a sincere appreciation of her beautiful home.  Then as she went on to tell of the animals and pets there, and of the park and woods of the estate, Patty found that the girl could indeed be enthusiastic when she chose.

This made Patty like her all the better, for it proved she had enthusiasm enough when a subject appealed to her.

But when they were joined by the crowd of gay young people begging them to come and play games, Florrie seemed to shut up into herself again, and assumed once more her air of cold indifference.

But if Florrie was lacking in enthusiasm, it was not so with another of Patty’s friends.

Ma’amselle Labesse, who had recovered from her indisposition, had taken a violent fancy to Patty and would have liked to monopolise her completely.

Patty was kind to the old lady and did much to entertain her, but she was not willing to give up all her time to her.  The old ma’amselle greatly delighted to carry Patty off to her stateroom, there to talk to her or listen to her read aloud.  Except for her maid, ma’amselle was alone, and Patty felt sorry for her and was glad to cheer her up.  Not that she needed cheering exactly, for she was of a merry and volatile disposition, except when she gave way to exhibitions of temper, which were not infrequent.

One morning she called Patty to her room, and surprised the girl by giving her a present of a handsome and valuable old necklace.  It was of curiously wrought gold, and though Patty admired it extremely, she hesitated about accepting such a gift from a comparative stranger.”

“But yes,” said ma’amselle, “it is for you.  I wish to give it to you.  I have taken such a fancy to you, you could scarce believe.  And I adore to decorate you thus.”  She clasped the necklace about Patty’s throat, with an air that plainly said she would be much offended if the gift were refused.  So Patty decided to keep it, at least until she could get an opportunity to ask Mrs. Farrington’s advice on the subject.

When she did ask her, Mrs. Farrington told her to keep it by all means.  She said she had no doubt the old ma’amselle enjoyed making the gift far more than Patty was pleased to receive it, so Patty kept the trinket, which was really a very fine specimen of the goldsmith’s art.

“And, my dear,” the old lady went on, the day that she gave Patty the necklace, “you must and shall come to visit me in my chateau.  My home is the most beautifull—­an old chateau at St. Germain, not far from Paris, and you can come, but often, and stay with me for the long time.”