CONTENTS.
PAGE
I. THE LAWRENCES AND OTHERS, 1
II. NAN'S SHIP ARRIVES, 11
III. A LEAF FROM HELEN'S PAST, 24
IV. A SAIL ON THE "CYCLONE," 38
V. SUNSET-HOUR ON THE CLIFFS, 51
VI. A DINNER AT THE MANOR, 59
VII. A WALK IN THE SHRUBBERY, 69
VIII. NAN REBELS, 88
IX. A FLYING MACHINE AND WHAT CAME OF IT, 97
X. MISS STUART'S ARRIVAL, 118
XI. DULL DAYS, 131
XII. EDDYING CURRENTS, 139
XIII. AN INVITATION, 156
XIV. A DANCE AT CRESCENT BEACH, 171
XV. HELEN IS PUZZLED, 184
XVI. "IT WAS ONLY MY IMAGINATION," 193
XVII. THE "VORTEX" DEPARTS, 206
XVIII. A RIFT IN THE CLOUDS, 224
XIX. A CABLEGRAM, 244
XX. "PEACE ON EARTH--GOOD WILL TO MEN," 259
A COLONY OF GIRLS.
CHAPTER I.
THE LAWRENCES AND OTHERS.
"I cannot understand why the children do not return from the beach.
They have been gone so long."
"None too long," sighed Nathalie Lawrence, swinging lazily to and fro
in a hammock which was hung across one end of the veranda. "What a
heaven it is without them. I declare, Helen," she continued,
addressing her sister in aggrieved tone, "we do get a lot of those
children, somehow or other. For my part, I cannot see why you let them
stay about with us all the time, when they are a thousand times better
off with Mary," and she gave a vindictive tug at a rope fastened to
the railing, which sent the hammock back and forth with the utmost
rapidity.
"Take care, Nat; you will be out next, and there will be a hubbub
worse than the children would think of making in their wildest
moments."
The young girl who thus spoke laughed a low, musical laugh, and looked
up from her book with a pair of wide-open blue eyes.
"Nathalie, as usual, thinks only of herself," said Helen with a frown,
as she walked away.
