t to be practical and positive, a little
Parisienne, and "in the swim." There were plenty of examples among those
she knew that she could follow. Berthe, Helene, and Claire Wermant were
excellent leaders in that sort of thing. Those three daughters of
the 'agent de change' were at this time at Treport, in charge of a
governess, who let them do whatever they pleased, subject only to be
scolded by their father, who came down every Saturday to Treport, on
that train that was called the 'train des maris'. They had made friends
with two or three American girls, who were called "fast," and Jacqueline
was soon enrolled in the ranks of that gay company.

The cure that was begun on the wooden horse at Blackfern's was completed
on the sea-shore.

The girls with whom she now associated were nine or ten little imps of
Satan, who, with their hair flying in the wind and their caps over one
ear, made the quiet beach ring with their boy-like gayety. They were
called "the Blue Band," because of a sort of uniform that they adopted.
We speak of them intentionally as masculine, and not feminine, because
what is masculine best suited their appearance and behavior, for, though
all could flirt like coquettes of experience, they were more like boys
than girls, if judged by their age and their costume.

These Blues lived close to one another on that avenue that is edged
with chalets, cottages, and villas, whose lower floors are abundantly
provided with great glass windows, which seem to let the ocean into
their very rooms, as well as to lay bare everything that passes in them
to the public eye, as frankly as if their inmates bivouacked in the open
street. Nothing was private; neither the meals, nor the coming and going
of visitors. It must be said, however, that the inhabitants of these
glass houses were very seldom at home. Bathing, and croquet, or tennis,
at low water, on the sands, searching for shells, fishing with nets,
dances at the Casino, little family dances alternating with concerts, to
which even children went till nine o'clock, would seem enough to fill
up the days of these young people, but they had also to make boating
excursions to Cayeux, Crotoy, and Hourdel, besides riding parties in the
beautiful country that surrounded the Chateau of Lizerolles, where they
usually dismounted on their return.

At Lizerolles they were received by Madame d'Argy, who was delighted
that they provided safe amusement for her son, who appeared in