"But he gave you a necklace,--the day we sailed for Paris."
"Fiddle-de-dee! It was only a locket, with the merest thread of a gold chain; and anyway, I never wore it but once or twice."
"Well, you oughtn't to have accepted it, if a personal gift is so reprehensible."
"Elise, you're a goose!" said Patty, losing her patience at last. "A gift like that is not in very good taste from a boy to a girl; but from a girl to a boy, it's very much worse. And, anyway, it was different in my case; for Ken and I are old friends, which you and he are not. And, beside, father knew about it, and he said as a parting keepsake it was all right. But at a Christmas tree, in your own house,--Elise, you'll make a great mistake if you give Kenneth Harper a seal ring."
"All right, Patty, you know I always do just as you say, so I'll give it to Roger."
Patty knew she had judged rightly in the matter, but she also knew that Elise was greatly disappointed at her decision.
She had already noticed that Elise liked handsome Kenneth, but if she did, that was only an added reason why she should not make him a present of a ring.
"She ought to have had more sense!" Patty said to herself, indignantly. "And I'm sorry if she's sorry; but I couldn't let her do such a foolish thing!"
The Christmas Eve dinner was set for an early hour, that the younger Farrington children might take part in the festivities.
Beside Elise and Roger, there were two younger girls, Louise and Hester, and Bobby, aged ten.
When Patty went down to the drawing-room, she found these three eager with anticipation of the Christmas frolic about to begin.
Kenneth Harper was there too, but there were no other guests, as this evening was to be a family celebration. Soon the other members of the household appeared, and then dinner was announced, and they all went to the dining-room.
Mr. Farrington offered his arm to Patty, and escorted her out first, as guest of honour. Mrs. Farrington followed with Kenneth, and then the five Farrington children came out less formally.
A burst of applause greeted their first sight of the dinner table. It was indeed a Christmas feast to the eye as well as to the palate.
In the centre of the table was a Christmas tree, decorated with tinsel and gay ornaments, and lighted by tiny electric bulbs.