It was very characteristic of her to ask as a favour what she might have demanded as a condition. The boy blushed crimson as he took the napoleon. "You are very kind," he said nervously. "Thank you. I won't so much as look at the Casino again." "Well, Miss Lucy, a pretty scrape you have got me into!" said Lady Munro, as she joined the girls. "It will take fifteen pounds to set that boy on his feet again." "Tell us all about it," said Lucy eagerly. "Who is he?" "His name is Edgar Davidson, and he is a medical student." "I knew it! No wonder I was interested in a brother of the cloth! What hospital?" "I don't know." "Is he going in for the colleges or for the university?" "My dear child, how should I think of asking?" "I suppose mother did not even enquire who his tailor was," said Evelyn quietly. "I don't mind about his tailor, but it would interest me to know where he gets his scalpels sharpened. What brings him here during term?" Lady Munro had just time to give a sketch of the lad's story, when they arrived at the door of the concert-hall--wonderful alike for its magnificence and its vulgarity--to find the orchestra already carrying away the whole room with a brilliant, piquant, irresistible _pizzicato_. "Do take a back seat, mother," whispered Evelyn; "we can't have Lucy dancing right up the hall." Lucy shot a glance of lofty scorn at her friend. "I am glad at least that Providence did not make me a lamp-post," she said severely. The last note of the piece had not died away, when a young man came forward and held out his hand to Lady Munro. "Why, Mr Monteith, my husband has just gone to your hotel." "Yes; he told me you were here, so I left him and my father together." He shook hands with the two girls, and seated himself beside Lucy. "You here?" she said with an air of calm indifference, which was very unlike her usual impulsive manner. "Nay, it is I who should say that. You here? And you leave me to find it out by chance from Sir Douglas?" "It did not occur to me that you would be interested," and she fanned herself very gracefully, but very unnecessarily, with her programme. "Little coquette!" thought Lady Munro. But Lucy looked so charming at the moment, that not even a woman could blame her. "How is Cannes looking?" "Oh, lovely--lovelier than ever. Some awfully nice people have come." "So you don't miss any of those who have gone?" "Not in the least." "And you would not care to see any old friend back again for a day or two?" There was a moment's pause. "I don't think there would be room; the hotel seems full----" With a sudden burst of harmony the music began, and there was no more conversation till the next pause. "Have you ever walked up to the chapel on the hill again?" "Oh, lots of times!" "You have been energetic. Have you chanced to see the Maritime Alps in the strange mystical light we saw that day?" "Yes. They always look like that."