“Look at it,” said Uncle Tom, with a hollow groan. “I never imagined any one could change so much, Patsy. Patsy…” there was a break in Uncle Tom’s voice…“I…I…wish I had never seen her old, Patsy.”

When they went in Mrs. Merridew whisked Uncle Tom off to the Little Parlor. But the next day something rather mysterious happened. Mrs. Merridew announced at breakfast that she must catch the ten-fifteen train to town and would Sid be kind enough to drive her down to Silverbridge? She bade them all good-bye cheerily and drew Pat aside for a few whispered sentences.

“Don’t blame me, sugar-pie. He told me you knew all about it…and I really did intend to take him before I came, darling. But when I saw him…well, I knew right off I simply couldn’t. Of course it’s rotten to let anyone down like that but I’m so terribly sensitive in regard to beauty. He was so old-looking and changed. He wasn’t a bit like the Tom Gardiner I knew. I want you to be specially good to him and cheer him up until he is once more able to tune his spirit into the rhythm of the happiness vibrations that are all around us. He didn’t say much but I knew he was feeling my decision very deeply. Still, after a little he’ll see for himself that it is all for the best.”

She climbed into the waiting car, waved a chubby, dimpled hand at them and departed.

“I hope the springs av that car will be lasting till they get to the station,” said Judy. “And whin’s the widding to be, Patsy?”

“Never at all,” smiled Pat. “It’s all off”

“Thank the Good Man Above for that,” said Judy devoutly. “Oh, oh, it was a rale noble act av ye to ask her here, Patsy, and ye’ve had yer reward. If yer Uncle Tom had got ingaged to her be letter he’d have had to have stuck to it, no matter what he filt like whin he saw her. And it isn’t but what I liked her, Patsy, and it’s sorry for her disappointmint I am…but she wud niver have done for a wife for Tom Gardiner. It’s well he had the sinse to see it, aven at the last momint.”

Pat said nothing. Uncle Tom said nothing…neither then nor at any other time. His little flyer in romance was over. The negotiations for the Silverbridge bungalow were abruptly dropped. The aunts both persisted in thinking that Pat had “influenced” Uncle Tom and were overwhelmingly grateful to her. In vain Pat assured them she had done nothing.