"He is probably fishing for a tip," said Nell. "It seems to me that I've seen those symptoms before in a less violent form." "Don't you tip him," commanded their father. "I'll attend to all that," and he beckoned to Pelletan with his finger and whispered a rapid sentence in his ear. "What did you say to him, dad?" inquired Sue, gazing in some astonishment after their host's retreating coat-tails. "I told him to go 'way back and sit down," answered Rushford, going calmly on with his meal. "Dad, is it true that Lord Vernon is to arrive to-morrow morning?" "I suppose so." "In a ship of war?" "Yes--I've heard that, too." "You'll take us down to the beach, won't you, dad?" "What! A free-born American citizen go toadying after the English aristocracy!" "But we'll need a cicérone, dad." "What for, I'd like to know?" "Oh, what are cicérones always for? To get us a good place, to be sure!" So here he was, in the forefront of the crowd, with his womenkind beside him, and no doubt the discerning reader has already guessed that it was to their cheeks I referred some pages back. There were many grandes dames upon the beach that morning--some the real thing, a little plain, a little faded, rather touching to look upon--others, for the most part articles de Paris, very tall and plump and even handsome, if one likes the gorgeous type, with gowns created by the great costumers and paid for heaven knows how! But I always think with a little warmth of pride and admiration of those two American girls standing there, wind-blown and radiant. Coarse, madame! Ah, what would you not give for a little of that coarseness! After all, freshness is a woman's greatest charm, as you very well know, madame, though you try your best to think otherwise; and, alas, you are fast losing yours! For, as you have found--as untold thousands have found before you, and will yet find--one can't squander one's youth and keep it, too! Aye, more than that. The sins of the night stare at one from one's glass on the morrow, and will not be massaged away. Take your baths, madame, in milk, or wine, or perfumed water; summon your masseuse, your beauty-doctor. Let them rub you and knead you and pinch you, coat you with cold cream or grease you with oil of olives. Redden cheeks and lips, whiten hands and shoulders, polish nails, pencil eyebrows, squeeze in the waist, pad out the hips--swallow, at the last, that little tablet which you slip from the jewelled case at your wrist. It is all in vain. You deceive no man nor woman. They look into your eyes and smile, but behind the smile there is a shudder! Nell and Susie Rushford, with the wind playing in their hair and kissing their cheeks, that morning, were miracles of freshness; two divine messages, two phantoms of delight, sent from the New World to the Old. And one was dark, with tints of violet In hair and eyes, and one was blond as she Who rose--a second daybreak--from the sea, Gold-tressed and azure-eyed.