“Oh, no!—not at all—not now!” she replied, with a small giggle. “Only one cannot but think of the change between then and now—it’s almost humorous——”
“I should think it is!” he agreed. “It’s more than humorous! It’s comic! What d’ye expect? When I think of what you were!—a nice little pink and white thing with a small waist,—and see you now!”—here he snorted half contemptuously. “But there!—we can’t all remain young, and you’re quite comfortable looking—a sort of pillow of ease,—you might be worse——”
Here their mutual personal compliments were interrupted by the hurried entrance of Grace Laurie, looking pale and scared.
“Oh ’m, I’m afraid some accident has happened to Miss Diana!” she said, breathlessly. “I’ve been all the way down to the cove, and—and——”
Here she suddenly burst out crying. Mr. May bounced up from his chair.
“Deuce take the woman!—don’t stand there grizzling! What’s the matter? Speak out!”
Mrs. May stared feebly, her mouth opening slowly, like that of a fish on dry land.
“What—what is it, Grace?” she stammered. “You frighten me!”
“Yes ’m, I know, but I can’t help it!” Grace answered, gaspingly. “But—but I’ve been down to the cove—and all round in every place, and there’s Miss Diana’s clothes all put together on the rocks, with her shoes and hat and bathing towel, but—but—there’s no Miss Diana!” Here her emotions got the better of her, and she gave a small scream. “Oh, oh! I’m sure she’s drowned!—oh, Miss Diana, poor thing! I’m sure she’s drowned!—she’s been carried off her feet by the waves!—there was a high tide this morning, and I know she’s drowned! She’s drowned, she’s drowned!”
Her voice rose to a high shrill pitch, and she wrung her hands.