"Heard a lot about you!" said Percy Pollock, who was a beautiful blond person, slightly older than the girls. "You were the terror at Hill Top, weren't you?" "I didn't have much chance. I was only there one year," laughed Isabelle. "I hope you'll wake up this dull isle," said he. "Dull?" cried Isabelle, blushing furiously at her tone. They all sat down together, in the aimless way of holiday makers, but Isabelle's eyes were ever on the door. Where was the man? Did he lie abed all morning? And such a morning! "Isabelle, let's go for a walk down the beach. I've such heaps to tell you about Hill Top." "Good idea," said Percy, promptly. "Not you. Just Isabelle and me. We want to talk." "I--think I won't this morning. I--I'd rather not," began Isabelle. Then she stopped short. He, the Son of the Morning, was coming forth. She scarcely noticed that Mrs. Darlington was with him. Her face was suddenly so radiant that the others turned to look. He saw them. Now he would come to her--show them how it was between them! But he did no such thing. He bowed, a trifle absently, and passed within a few feet of them--near enough for them to hear him say: "Paula, ever young and ever fair!" They also saw the ravishing look she threw him. "What a handsome man!" exclaimed Agnes. "Lady-killer, I bet you," jeered Percy. "Come on, Agnes, let's go for that walk on the beach," cried Isabelle. She started off almost before any one understood her purpose. "Hi there! are you trailing me behind?" called Percy. "No," said Isabelle, shortly. Agnes hurried after her, and when they had tramped the beach for a while, they sat down in the sand. Agnes remembered that Isabelle was "queer," but there was something passionate about the way she threw herself into their reminiscences, that struck her as unnecessary. They spoke of Mrs. Benjamin, with tears on Agnes's part. She told of Mr. Benjamin's pitiful efforts to go on with the school. He had been forced to give up the struggle, and Agnes lamented the necessity of going to a new school when she returned to New York. "Now tell me about you," she demanded. "Why are you out of school?" "I hated the school they sent me to last year, so this year I struck and went on the stage for a while." "Why, Isabelle Bryce!" cried her friend, thrilled to the bone. "But I didn't like it; it made me sick. So I, too came down here to get well." She evaded questions on the subject of her stage career, and after some desultory talk they went back to the hotel. People were strolling to the beach for the bathing hour. "Let's find Percy and go in," said Agnes.