Page:Restless Earth.djvu/94

and he was glad of the slight pretext of chivalrous curiosity which moulded his duty to standing still upon this pleasant corner. He could wait for an hour, if necessary.

Grace’s business this morning was the purchase of a middy suit for Joan. Joan had been envious of a middy suit worn by a playmate of a day, who had appeared at breakfast at the hotel one morning and had departed the same evening in an opulent limousine driven by a fat man whose neck bulged over his collar.

Joan had been vociferous in her desire for a middy suit, and Grace, fighting her desire to spoil the child utterly, had refused her. Joan had sulked for a day, then, child-like, had forgotten—or had pretended to forget. Motherlike, Grace had then commenced a surreptitious search of the Napier shops, but such a middy suit as she desired was not to be found in the town. Miss Whipple, whom Grace had taken into her confidence, pointed out an advertisement of such suits which might be had in Hastings, and Grace had decided to go and look at them before capitulating to her desire to give the child a pleasant surprise.

She was looking at them when the earth shook.

The shop-assistant, a girl with blonde hair and friendly eyes, who knew instinctively that her customer was one of those rare creatures who know exactly what they want, was unfolding a suit upon the counter.

“These are only just in,” she was saying. “They are the very latest in style, and are excellent wearing. The sleeves———”

She ceased speaking abruptly, her mouth held open. Her eyes widened and she stared into the distance. The colour drained rapidly from her face.

“What’s the matter?” asked Grace in quick concern. “Are you ill?”

Like a terror-stricken animal, the girl glanced