e like Central Park, and the little
town, and the hills around it, seized her. She slipped her feet out of
bed and into the satin slippers which had been one of Miss Effie's
purchases. She dressed with feverish haste, rebuking herself for having
slept so late, for her new wrist watch told her it was after ten
o'clock.

Ten o'clock--why, on Patchin Place the morning was almost over at that
hour, the streets about thundering with the work of the day. And here it
was as still as night, or as--a church on a weekday, Robin thought.

Dressed, she opened the door of her room very quietly and peeped
curiously out. And there in the wide hall, dusting an old highboy, was
the girl with the dark hair.

"Hullo!" exclaimed Robin, delighted at the encounter.

The girl stared for a moment. She was tall and thin; her eyes so
intensely blue as to look black and startling in their contrast to the
whiteness of her skin. They were brooding, smoldering eyes and a too
frequent scowl was making tiny lines between the straight black
eyebrows.

"Isn't this the wonderfulest morning?" Robin advanced, stepping nearer.
"What is your name? I'm Robin--I mean Gordon Forsyth."

"I know that. My name's Beryl but I guess it doesn't make much
difference to you what I'm called. The man who came with you's waiting
downstairs."

In spite of this rebuff Robin lingered for a moment, hopeful of a
pleasanter word. But the girl Beryl shouldered her duster and marched
off, head high.

"I'm going to find out more about her right off," determined Robin as
she went in search of her guardian.

The big rooms below, like her own room, looked very different in the
morning light, even cheery. Mr. Allendyce greeted her with a smile and
Harkness' "Good-morning, Miss Gordon," had pleasant warmth. It was fun
to sit in the high-backed chair before the shining silver and the
flowers and to choose between grapefruit and frosted orange juice. So
fascinated was Robin that she forgot for the time, her interest in the
girl she had encountered upstairs.

"Well, what do you think of Gray Manor in daylight?" asked Mr. Allendyce
as the two walked into the library.

"Oh, it's more like a great castle than ever. But it isn't--half as bad
as I thought it was." When Robin caught the amused twinkle in her
guardian's eye she added hastily: "I mean, it isn't gloomy and sad at
all. It's so beautiful--and I love beautiful things."

Mr. Allendyce thought suddenly that it was the fi