ss public manner."

"'Flirtation!'" ejaculated Lawford, with a spark of anger--and then
settled back on the couch with a groan.

"My goodness me, Ford!" gasped Prue. "You're surely not in earnest?"

"I should hope _not_," drawled Marian.

"Oh, Ford, my boy----"

"Now, mother, don't turn on the sprinkler again," advised L'Enfant
Terrible. "It will do you no good. And, anyway, I guess Ford hasn't
any too bright a chance with the Grayling. You ought to have seen that
handsome Judson Bane lean over her when they were walking up to Cap'n
Abe's. I thought he was going to nibble her ear!"

"Cecile!"

"Horrid thing!" Prue exclaimed. "I don't know where she gets such rude
manners."

"That boarding school last winter completely spoiled her," complained
the mother. "And I sent her to it because Sue Perriton and Alice
Bozewell go there."

"And I had a fine chance to get chummy with _them_!" snapped Cecile.
"They were both seniors."

"But really," Marian went on, "your entanglement with that movie
actress is sure to make trouble for us, Ford. You might be a little
more considerate. Just as we are getting in with the Perritons. And
their guest, Mrs. Conroth, was really very nice to mother this morning
on the beach. She has the open sesame to all the society there is on
this side of the Atlantic. It's really a wonderful chance for us,
Ford."

"And--he's bound--to spoil--it all!" Mrs. Tapp sobbed into an expensive
bit of lace.

"You might be a good sport, Fordy, dear," urged Prue.

"Yes, Fordy; don't crab the game," added the vulgar Cecile.

"You know very well," said the elder sister, "how hard we have tried to
take our rightful place here at The Beaches. We have the finest home
by far; daddy's got the most money of any of them, and let's us spend
it, too. And still it's like rolling a barrel up a sand bank. Just a
little thing will spoil our whole season here."

"Do, do be sensible, Ford!" begged his mother.

"Sacrifice yourself for the family's good," said Prue.

"Dear Ford," began Mrs. Tapp again, "for my sake--for all our
sakes--take thought of what you are doing. This--this actress person
cannot be a girl you could introduce to your sisters----"

"No more of that, mother!" exclaimed the young man, patience at last
ceasing to be a virtue. "Criticise me if you wish to; but I will hear
nothing against Miss Grayling."

"Oh, dear! Now I have offended him again!" sobbed the matron.

"You are