like
great sea-poppies and bluets blooming on the tawny sand--or flying, as
though wind-blown, in the swing.

The routine was much as she remembered it as a girl--luncheons, dinner
parties with dancing to follow at the hostess's house or some
other--balls, fancy-balls, theatricals at the Casino--the usual
fantastic, highly-coloured, sparkling Masque of Pleasure. It was
agreeable enough for a week or two--but her heart failed when she
thought of the whole summer--and many summers to follow--spent in this
fashion. She was glad when August drew to its close, and nearly all the
women had taken the pose of being tired or even ill, and not going out
any more. Then she had some delightful, real country rides again with
Morris. The Island was charming to explore. The golden-rod was beginning
to blow in the fields. It made her long for Sweet-Waters. But she would
not vex him with such an allusion.

"It's nice to have these quiet days together, isn't it?" she said, as he
tied a great bunch of golden-rod to the dees of her saddle, and another
to his own.

These quiet days at Newport did not last long, however. The Kron Prinz
of Blauethuerme arrived suddenly one day, practically unheralded. And
presto!--all the weary and ailing became restored as by magic. The
descent of His Royal Highness into the stagnant social waters was like
the descent of the angel into the pool of Bethesda. He did but trouble
the waters with his princely foot, and straightway all sufferers were
restored to abounding and healthful vigour. The erstwhile exhausted
ladies went scampering about like chipmunks. And the "society" journals,
that had been mournfully pecking here and there for stray grains of
interest, now fluttered triumphant with whole sheaves of "snapshots" and
thrilling items.

Sophy winced to see a photograph of herself as frontispiece of a "smart"
weekly. It had been taken as she crossed the lawn of the Casino with the
Crown Prince. It was headed, "A Famous Beauty and a Foreign Prince."
Underneath was written, "Mrs. Morris Loring walking with H. R. H. the
Crown Prince of Blauethuerme. Mrs. Loring is one of our most
distinguished and _chic_ young matrons. She entertains lavishly and
brilliantly both at her unique town house in New York (said to be
decorated by her own fair hands) and at her sumptuous summer palace in
Newport. Mrs. Loring was formerly the wife of the Hon. Cecil Chesney,
younger brother of Viscount Wychcote."

She tossed th