Page:Alice Stuyvesant - The Vanity Box.djvu/283



" papers! Standard! Globe!" called a shrill little voice along the platform at Dover, where the long train was filling with passengers from the Channel boat.

Terry was dominated by her vague fears for Sir Ian, and she did not realize that the evening papers might be of unusual importance to her or Nora Verney. She was thinking what she should say in her letter to Sir Ian, which she intended to begin as soon as she was settled in her place in the train. She had a stylographic pen and writing-case in her dressing-bag, and was anxious to put her thoughts on paper. She meant to say kind and cheering things to Sir Ian; and to save delay she would send the letter by messenger from somewhere near Victoria.

A porter put the ladies small luggage into a first-class carriage, spreading it about, as clever porters will, in the hope of keeping out other passengers.

"Come, Nora," said Terry. "He's got our places. Would you like tea?"

But Nora did not move or answer, because she did not hear. She had bought a paper and was standing on the platform, in everybody's way, eagerly reading