Cecile, young and bold enough to be direct, was not long in making discoveries. With a rather blank expression of countenance L'Enfant Terrible, for once almost speechless, beckoned her sisters to one side.

"Pestiferous infant," drawled Marian, "tell us who she is?"

"Is she a Broadway star?" asked Prue.

"Oh, she's a star all right," Cecile said, with disgust in her tone.

"We've been a trio of sillies, ignoring _her_. Fordy's fallen on both feet--only he's too dense to know it, I s'pose."

"Tell us!" commanded Prue. "Who is she?"

"She's no screen actress," answered the gloomy Cecile.

"Who is she, then?" gasped Marian.

"Sue Perriton says she is Mrs. Conroth's niece, and Mrs. Conroth is all the Society with a capital letter there _is_. Now, figure it out,"

said Cecile tartly. "If you smarties had taken her up right at the start----"

"But we didn't kno-o-ow!" wailed Marian.

"Go on!" commanded Prue grimly.

"Why, Miss Grayling's father is a big scientist, or something, at Washington. Her mother happened to be born here on the Cape; she was a Card. This girl is just stopping over there with that old fellow who keeps the store--her half-uncle--for a lark. What do you know about _that_?"

"My word!" murmured Marian.

"And Ford------"

"He's mamma's precious white-haired boy _this_ time," declared the slangy Cecile.

"Do--do you suppose he knew it all the time?" questioned Marian.

"Never! Just like old Doc Ambrose says, there isn't much above Fordy's ears but solid bone," scoffed L'Enfant Terrible.

"Wait till ma hears of this," murmured Prue, and they proceeded to beat a retreat for home that their mother might be informed of the wonder.

Lawford was already out of sight.

"How really fortunate Fordy is," murmured Mrs. Tapp, having received the shocking news and been revived after it. "Fancy! Mrs. Conroth's own niece!"

"It's going to put us in just _right_ with the best of the crowd at The Beaches," Prue announced. "We've only been tolerated so far."

"Oh, Prudence!" admonished Mrs. Tapp.

"That's the truth," her second daughter repeated bluntly. "We might as well admit it. Now, if Fordy only puts this over with this Miss Grayling, they'll _have_ to take us up; for it's plain to be seen they won't drop Miss Grayling, no matter whom she marries."

"If Fordy doesn't miss the chance," muttered Cecile.

"He can't!"

"He mustn't!"

"He wouldn't be mean enough to drop her just to spite us!" wailed Marian.

"No," said Prue. "He won't do that. Ford isn't a b.u.t.terfly. You must admit that he's as steadfast as a rock in his likes and dislikes. Once he gets a thing in that head of his------Well! I'm sure he's fond of Miss Grayling."

"But that big actor?" suggested Cecile.

"Surely," gasped Mrs. Tapp, "the girl cannot fancy such a person as _that_?"

"My! you should just see Judson Bane," sighed Cecile.

"He's the matinee girl's delight," drawled Marian. "Ford has the advantage, however, if he will take it. He's too modest."

Mrs. Tapp's face suddenly paled and she clasped a plump hand to her bosom. "Oh, girls!" she gasped.

"_Now_ what, mother?" begged Prue.

"What will I. Tapp say?"

"Oh, bother father!" scoffed L'Enfant Terrible.

"He doesn't care what Ford does," Prue said.

"Does he ever really care what any of us does?" observed Marian, yet looking doubtfully at her mother.

"You don't understand, girls!" wailed Mrs. Tapp, wringing her hands.

"You know he made me write and invite that Johnson girl here."

"Oh, Dot Johnson!" said Prue. "Well, she is harmless."

"She's _not_ harmless," declared Mrs. Tapp. "I. Tapp ordered me to get her here because, he wants Ford to marry her."

"Marry Dot Johnson?" gasped Prue.

"Oh, bluey!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the slangy Cecile.

"But of course Ford won't do it," drawled Marian.

"Then he means to disinherit poor Ford! Oh, yes, he will!" sobbed the lady. "They've had words about it already. You know very well that when once I. Tapp makes up his mind to do a thing, he does it." And there she broke down utterly, with the girls looking at each other in silent horror.

CHAPTER XXIII

BETWEEN THE FIRES

The discovery of Louise's ident.i.ty was but a mild shock to Lawford after all. His preconceived prejudice against the ordinary feminine member of "The Profession" had, during his intercourse with Cap'n Abe's niece, been lulled to sleep. Miss Louder and Miss Noyes more nearly embodied his conception of actresses--nice enough young women, perhaps, but entirely different from Louise Grayling.

Lawford forgave the latter for befooling him in the matter of her condition in life; indeed, he realized that he had deceived himself.