hered to come away up here."

"Mother, Mother, give me the key, quick," demanded Grace, as they ran
around the side of the house and Betty made a face at Mollie. "You
haven't forgotten it, have you?"

"No, I tied it on a ribbon around my neck," said Mrs. Ford, with a
smile. "I had no intention of forgetting it. Here it is."

"Thank you."

Grace fitted the key in the lock and opened the door, but when she
turned, expecting to find the girls at her back, she found that they had
deserted her.

They were standing, gazing out over a gleaming white stretch of sand to
the shimmering water beyond, absolutely oblivious to everything but the
beauty of the scene.

The bluff on which they stood sloped gently down to the beach below.
Once down there, the girls knew they would feel as though they were
isolated from all the rest of the world, for the beach was in the form
of a semi-circle, surrounded on three sides by rocky bluffs and blocked
off in front by the ocean.

"How beautiful!" breathed Betty, as Grace stole up and joined them.
"We've seen a great many wonderful views, but I never saw one to equal
this. Just look at the reflection of the sun out there."

"Blood red," murmured Mollie. "That looks like a hot day to-morrow."

"All the more excuse for taking a swim," put in Amy, adding longingly:
"I wish it weren't too late now."

"I'm afraid it is," said Mrs. Ford, seizing her opportunity. "We still
have to put the cars away and get our provisions and cook supper--"

"Who said 'supper'?" Mollie demanded hungrily. "Mrs. Ford," she added,
as they started for the house, "won't you please make Betty make some
biscuits?"

"But you make as good biscuits as I do," protested Betty.

"No, I don't, Darling," denied Mollie, putting an arm about her chum.
"And, anyway," she added convincingly, "I can eat more when I don't have
to make them!"

The girls were almost as pleased with the interior of the house as they
had been with its surroundings. There were odd little passages and
unexpected window seats such as Betty had dreamed of having in her own
little home some day.

The thought brought back the picture of Allen as he had gone away,
gallant, hopeful, brave--oh, so brave--and involuntarily she uttered a
little sigh.

"Please don't do that," said Grace, as they entered the room they were
to have together. "I'm trying my best not to be as gloomy as I feel. But
if you begin to sigh, I'll just have to give up and spoil t