ble to Eileen the thing she so deeply craved. Eileen was
learning a new lesson each day--some days many of them--but none
was more amazing more simple, or struck deeper into her awakened
consciousness. As she gazed with far-seeing eye on the blue walls of the
valley Eileen was taking a mental inventory of her former self. One by
one she was arraigning all the old tricks she had used in her trade of
getting on in the world. One by one she was discarding them in favor of
honesty, unaffectedness, and wholesome enjoyment.

Because of these things Linda came home the next afternoon and left a
bundle on Eileen's bed before she made her way to her own room to busy
herself with a head piece for Peter's latest article. She had taken down
the wasp picture and while she had not destroyed it she had turned the
key of a very substantial lock upon it. She was hard at work when she
heard steps on the stairs. When Eileen entered, Linda smiled quizzically
and then broke into an unaffected ejaculation.

"Ripping!" she cried. "Why, Eileen, you're perfectly topping."

Eileen's face flamed with delight. She was a challenging little figure.
None of them was accustomed to her when she represented anything more
substantial than curls and ruffles.

Linda reached for the telephone, called Gilman, and asked him if he
could go to the beach for supper that evening. He immediately replied
that he would. Then she called Peter Morrison and asked him the same
question and when Peter answered affirmatively she told him to bring
his car. Then she hastily put on her own field clothes and ran to the
kitchen to fill the lunch box. To Katy's delight Linda told her there
would be room for her and that she needed her.

It was evening and the sun was moving slowly toward the horizon when
they stopped the cars and went down on the white sands of Santa Monica
Bay. Eileen had been complimented until she was in a glow of delight.
She did not notice that in piling things out of the car for their beach
supper Linda had handed her a shovel and the blackened iron legs of a
broiler. Everyone was loaded promiscuously as they took up their march
down to as near the water's edge as the sands were dry. Peter and John
gathered driftwood. Linda improvised two cooking places, one behind a
rock for herself, the other under the little outdoor stove for Katy.
Eileen was instructed as to how to set up the beach table, spread the
blankets beside it, and place the food upon it.