"Anyone would think you had something to hide, by the way you are jumping on me," complained Dick resentfully. "I don't see any crime in asking you if you had stepped out of your room for a minute." "I have told you that I did not." "You might have run in to see Madge." "No! No! No!" She spoke almost in a scream. "How many times do I have to repeat it? No! No! No!" "Come on, Madge; that's the three-alarm signal," exclaimed Bob, as he got to his feet heavily. "Great God, Lola," he looked down at her, his fat, good-natured face expressing his deep disgust, "why can't you learn to keep your disposition in the ice chest? You're all right when you are all right, but you're a wonder at kicking up a row." "I guess Bob's playing safe," agreed Mrs. Harlan, as she took his proffered hand and got to her feet. "We'll leave you two alone, as usual, to fight it out. Come on, Bob; I may not be as great a social light as Lola is getting lately, but I'm perfectly willing to sit in the sand and let you go to sleep." Lola made no effort to stop them, and they walked on up the beach in search of peace and quiet, Mrs. Harlan angry and disgusted, Bob deeply discouraged. "There," exclaimed Dick. "You've driven them away again!" "What of it?" Lola looked at him coldly. "Go with them if you want to!" "I don't, but Bob's getting tired of this sort of thing, and he's too good a fellow to be made uncomfortable all the time." "He's a fool--a perfect fool; you know he is, Dick Fenway. The only thing in the world that would really please him would be to eat a good dinner in a deaf and dumb asylum. I'm tired to death of him and of your Mrs. Harlan, too. She's coarse, and low, and vulgar, and if you had any respect for me at all you wouldn't force me to be with such a person!" "But, my dear girl, you know I can't help it!" "Well, you ought to help it," she replied cruelly. "It puts me in a false position, to be seen with a woman of that sort. Everyone notices it. Mr. Bradley practically said as much to me this morning." "And took time enough saying it, too," said Dick resentfully. "I thought the old man had tied himself to your skirts for the day. You kept me waiting a good half hour. What are you trying to jolly him for; we don't want any of his money." She made no reply to this, but threw herself back on the sand and, shading her face with her parasol, deliberately closed her eyes. "I say, Lola," Dick remarked after a moment's pause; "if you don't care to make any more of an effort than this to be sociable, I think I'll leave you here while I go back to the hotel; the mail is in by now, and I'm almost sure to get some news from Cleveland." "A very good idea," she answered calmly. "I'll wait right here until you return. You are so cross to-day that I don't think you would be very good company."