the beach; apparently their interest in
Dr. Breen's patient kept them.

"How is Mrs. Maynard this morning?" he asked; and she answered, as they
got beyond earshot,--

"Not better, I'm afraid."

"Oh, I'm sorry," said the young man. "Then you won't be able to drive
with me this morning? I hope she is n't seriously worse?" he added,
recurring to Mrs. Maynard at the sight of the trouble in Grace's face.

"I shall ask to drive with you," she returned. "Mr. Libby, do you know
where Corbitant is?"

"Oh, yes."

"And will you drive me there?"

"Why, certainly!" he cried, in polite wonder.

"Thank you." She turned half round, and cast a woman's look at the other
women. "I shall be ready in half an hour. Will you go away, and comeback
then? Not sooner."

"Anything you please, Miss Breen," he said, laughing in his
mystification. "In thirty minutes, or thirty days."

They went back to the steps, and he mounted his buggy. She sat down, and
taking some work from her pocket, bent her head over it. At first she
was pale, and then she grew red. But these fluctuations of color could
not keep her spectators long; one by one they dispersed and descended
the cliff; and when she rose to go for her hat the last had vanished,
with a longing look at her. It was Miss Gleason.

Grace briefly announced her purpose to her mother, who said, "I hope you
are not doing anything impulsive"; and she answered, "No, I had quite
made up my mind to it last night."

Mr. Libby had not yet returned when she went back to the piazza, and she
walked out on the road by which he must arrive. She had not to walk
far. He drew in sight before she had gone a quarter of a mile, driving
rapidly. "Am I late?" he asked, turning, and pulling up at the roadside,
with well-subdued astonishment at encountering her.

"Oh, no; not that I know." She mounted to the seat, and they drove off
in a silence which endured for a long time. If Libby had been as vain
as he seemed light, he must have found it cruelly unflattering, for it
ignored his presence and even his existence. She broke the silence at
last with a deep-drawn sigh, as frankly sad as if she had been quite
alone, but she returned to consciousness of him in it. "Mr. Libby, you
must think it is very strange for me to ask you to drive me to Corbitant
without troubling myself to tell you my errand."

"Oh, not at all," said the young man. "I'm glad to be of use on any
terms. It is n't often that one gets the cha