Then she danced into the music-room, and sitting down at the piano, sang a gay little song.

Then she sang another, and then looking over some old music she came across the little song, “Beware,” that she had sung over the telephone to Kit Cameron.  Naturally her thoughts turned to that young man, whom she had almost forgotten, and she wondered if he had met Elise yet.

“That was quite a jolly little escapade,” she said to herself; “that young man certainly thought I was a little black-eyed beauty, and when he does see Elise, of course he’ll think she’s the one.  I believe I’ll call him up and mystify him a little more.  It’s all right, because I’ve really been introduced to him, and if he doesn’t remember me, I can’t help it!  Probably he’ll be out anyway; but I’ll have a try at it.”

Returning to the library, Patty sat down at the telephone and called up Mr. Cameron’s number.

His own gay, cheery self answered “Hello,” and Patty said in a shy little voice, “Is this you, Mr. Cameron?”

“Bless my soul! if it isn’t my fair Unknown, again!”

“Why do you call me, fair, when you know I’m dark?”

“Oh, fair in this case means bewitching and lovely.  It doesn’t stand for tow hair and light blue eyes! and neither do I!”

“But you said you liked blondes.”

“I used to, before I knew you.”

“But you don’t know me.”

“Oh, but I do!  I know you a whole heap better than lots of people who have seen you.  There’s something in a telephone conversation that discloses the real inner nature.  It was dear of you to call me up to-night.  You don’t know how it pleases me!”

“Oh, I didn’t do it to please you.  But I’m all alone in my dungeon tower—­”

“Wait a minute; what is a dungeon tower?”

“Oh, don’t quibble.  Anyway, I’m all alone, and I simply had to have some one to speak to.”

“How did you know I’d be here?”

“Be there!  Why, I assumed that you sat at your telephone every evening, waiting to see if I would call you!”

“You little rascal!  That’s exactly what I have done, but I don’t see how you knew it.  Are you still a captive princess?”

“Yes; they keep me on bread and water, and not very much of that.”

“Couldn’t I come and try to liberate you?”

“No, Sir Knight.  Alas, you would but be captured yourself.”

“But to be captured in such a cause, would be a glorious fate!”

“Oh, aren’t you romantic!  I really wish it were the Fifteenth Century, and you could come on a dashing charger, and rescue me with a rope ladder!  I’m simply dying for an escapade!”

“All right; I’ll be there in a few minutes!”

“No, no! it’s just five centuries too late.  Now, one can only meet people in humdrum drawing-rooms.”

“And do you think there’s no romance left in the world?”

“I can’t find any.”  Naughty Patty put a most pathetic inflection in her voice, which touched Mr. Cameron’s heart.