Said, 'You can't get in here. _This_ beach is for millionaires.'
I'm blest if I don't shake the sand off my feet as soon as I can pack
up and get out."
"No, no, don't do that," I begged. "There's some mistake, perhaps."
"No, there isn't," said he. "I'm not a millionaire; but I did think I
looked as if I could afford a bathe."
"Sally dear, do let me introduce my cousin, Lord Mohunsleigh," I said
in a great hurry.
Potter opened his eyes at the thin little man, and Mrs. and Miss
Pitchley looked at him with interest.
"Do introduce us all," laughed Mrs. Pitchley, "and then we can
sympathise with Lord--Lord--oh, but I can _never_ learn to pronounce
him."
I introduced him to the mother and stepdaughter then, though I hadn't
thought of its being necessary, and explained that my cousin, though
spelled very elaborately, was pronounced Moonslee.
He had evidently abandoned all intention of immediate flight now, and
his rage was visibly cooling. He was looking at Mrs. Pitchley with
quite as much interest as she showed in him, and with even more at the
girl, although he talked to Potter Parker, and answered his questions
quite civilly. He explained that he had actually been ordered away from
the beach, bathing suit and all, by some "impertinent ass of an
official."
Potter was hospitably distressed, but Mrs. Pitchley was moved to
laughter.
"Ha, ha, won't the man be sick when he sees you coming back with us,
and hears us call you Lord Mohunsleigh?--for if you'll point him out in
time, that's what I _shall_ call you, right under his nose. You see,
this is a private beach. We all subscribe for our bath houses; but
you'll be our guest, of course, and I'll put Mr. Pitchley's box at your
service. He's gone off fishing for a few days. Only to think of the
Earl of Mohunsleigh being turned back. Delicious!"
"Can't say I thought of it that way till now," said Mohunsleigh,
pulling his wiry moustache, and condescending to grin slightly at last.
"But it's true, I'm _not_ a millionaire, you know."
"You're an earl, you can't say you're not, for I read in _The
Flashlight_ only the other day that the Earl of Mohunsleigh had sailed
for America, though it couldn't be ascertained on what ship."
"Didn't know there was any particular reason why it should be
ascertained," said Mohunsleigh. "I've run over, to visit a chap in
California,--dashed nice chap, too, but thought I'd have a shot at New
York first, and blest if I could st
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