"Oh, I hate to think, Ann dear," I smiled, "about there being any tears yesterday. But if tears yesterday really should mean a laugh to-day----" "Oh, to-day!" quickened Ann Woltor. "Who can tell about to-day!" "Then you really would like to go?" said George Keets. Across Ann Woltor's shoulders a little shrug quivered. "Why, of course, I'm going!" said Ann Woltor. "Good! Famous!" rallied George Keets. "Now that makes how many of us?" he reckoned. "Kennilworth?" "No, let's not bother about Kennilworth," said my Husband. "You?" queried George Keets. "Yes, I'm going," acquiesced my Husband. "And you, Mrs. Delville, of course?" "No, I think not," I said. "Just the Brenswicks then," counted George Keets. "And Allan John and----" Once again, from the railing of the upper landing, the May Girl's wistfully mirthful face peered down through that amazing cloud of gold-gray hair. "Allan John--Allan John!" she called very softly. "I'd like to have you dress warmly--you know! And not get just too absolutely tired out! And be sure and take the whistle," she laughed very resolutely, "and if anybody isn't good to you--you just blow it hard--and I'll come." As befitted the psychic necessities of a very cranky Person-With-a-Future, young Kennilworth was not disturbed for lunch. And Rollins, it seemed, was grotesquely genuine in his desire to picnic up-stairs with the May Girl and the shells. Even the May Girl herself rallied with a fluttering sort of excitement to the idea. The shell table fortunately was quite large enough to accommodate both work and play. Rollins certainly was beside himself with triumph, and on Rollins's particular type of countenance there is no conceivable synonym for the word "triumph" except "ghoulish glee." Really it was amazing the way the May Girl rallied her gentleness and her patience and her playfulness to the absurd game. She opposed no contrary personality whatsoever even to Rollins's most vapid desires. Unable as he was either to simulate or stimulate "the light that never was on land or sea," it was Rollins's very evident intention apparently to "blue" his Lady's eyes and "pink" his Lady's cheeks by the narration at least of such sights as "never were on land or sea"! Flavored by moonlight, rattling with tropical palms, green as Arctic ice, wild as a loon's hoot, science and lies slipped alike from Rollins's lips with a facility that even I would scarcely have suspected him of! Lands he had never visited--adventures he had never dreamed of cannibals not yet born--babble--babble--_babble_--_babble_!