The door banged. Miss Ethel's dim form was visible for a moment as she passed the window then the mist hid her altogether.
Caroline was also engulfed in it as soon as she came out of the little shelter at the entrance of the promenade. She could taste it on her lips, the wet drops clung to her eyelashes. Lillie, who had just arrived to take her place, looked all out of curl like a moulting bird, but both of them were spiritualized by the grey mist which blurred their outlines and through which their lips and eyes showed fresh and wistful.
"Pity you've got your new hat on, Carrie," said Lillie, shaking out her knitted cap. Then she giggled. "But I suppose you were expecting to meet your boy at the train."
Carrie shook her head. "No, I'm going back home first. I have to see about supper."
"I expect you'll take the place on altogether when the season's over," said the girl.
"Not me!" said Caroline, answering the faint echo of condescension in the other's tone. "I've told you time and again, Lillie, how it was I went there. What's more, I'm telling Miss Ethel to-night that I can't stop any longer."
She had not meant to do it precisely on this evening, but suddenly found herself in possession of a full-fledged decision.
"What are you going to do after the prom. closes then," said Lillie.
"Take a post in an office in Flodmouth," said Caroline.
"But you can't do typewriting or shorthand," said Lillie, unimpressed. "You won't find it so easy. I know I had my work set to get a decent job to go to in October, and I'm thoroughly trained. I only took to this on account of my health. I never——"