Part 33 (1/2)

”'I wish to explain,' she said, gravely, looking at the point of her parasol. 'I am very sorry to be obliged to warn you--to ask you to forego the pleasure of strolling on a beach that does not belong to me. Perhaps,' she continued, in sudden alarm, 'perhaps this beach belongs to you?'

”'The beach? Oh no,' I said.

”'But--but you were going to write poems about it?'

”'Only one--and that does not necessitate owning the beach. I have observed,' said I, frankly, 'that the people who own nothing write many poems about it.'

”She looked at me seriously.

”'I write many poems,' I added.

”She laughed doubtfully.

”'Would you rather I went away?' I asked, politely. 'My family is respectable,' I added; and I told her my name.

”'Oh! Then you wrote _Culled Cowslips_ and _Faded Fig-Leaves_ and you imitate Maeterlinck, and you--Oh, I know lots of people that you know;' she cried, with every symptom of relief; 'and you know my brother.'

”'I am the author,' said I, coldly, 'of _Culled Cowslips_, but _Faded Fig-Leaves_ was an earlier work, which I no longer recognize, and I should be grateful to you if you would be kind enough to deny that I ever imitated Maeterlinck. Possibly,' I added, 'he imitates me.'

”She was very quiet, and I saw she was sorry.

”'Never mind,' I said, magnanimously, 'you probably are not familiar with modern literature. If I knew your name I should ask permission to present myself.'

”'Why, I am Daisy Holroyd,' she said.

”'What! Jack Holroyd's little sister?'

”'Little?' she cried.

”'I didn't mean that,' said I. 'You know that your brother and I were great friends in Paris--'

”'I know,' she said, significantly.

”'Ahem! Of course,' I said, 'Jack and I were inseparable--'

”'Except when shut in separate cells,' said Miss Holroyd, coldly.

”This unfeeling allusion to the unfortunate termination of a Latin-Quarter celebration hurt me.

”'The police,' said I, 'were too officious.'

”'So Jack says,' replied Miss Holroyd, demurely.

”We had unconsciously moved on along the sand-hills, side by side, as we spoke.

”'To think,' I repeated, 'that I should meet Jack's little--'

”'Please,' she said, 'you are only three years my senior.'

”She opened the sunshade and tipped it over one shoulder. It was white, and had spots and posies on it.