"Now, it's a funny thing," remarked Miss Henderson, without giving any one time to dwell upon Miss Delmege's personal reminiscences--"it's a funny thing, but I simply didn't feel the least bit of fear. Not for myself, you know. I just thought, well, I hope mother doesn't see any of this--she's got a bit of a heart, you know--but I didn't seem to feel a bit as though I was in any kind of danger myself. Not a bit." "Now, just sit down, child, and drink up this tea," said Mrs. Bullivant to Grace. "You've not a scrap of colour in your face." "I'm really all right now, thank you very much," Grace told her as she took the tea gratefully. "And it wasn't anything to do with the raid." Everybody looked rather disappointed. "Aren't you well, then, dear? I do hope it isn't another case of influenza." "I bet I know!" suddenly cried Tony. "It was doing up that man's hand upset you, wasn't it? He cut himself somehow in the excitement and was bleeding like a fountain, poor fellow! I thought you looked rather squeamish while you were doing it, poor thing! but I never thought of its bowling you over like this. Are you one of those people who faint at the sight of blood?" "I didn't faint," said Grace mildly. "Jolly near it, I expect, judging by your face now," said Tony critically. "Poor old dear!" "Did Miss Vivian's cousin come back to find you?" asked Miss Delmege sharply. "He came into the kitchen while I was still there, and afterwards he helped me to lock up." "Afterwards?" A tinge of colour crept into Miss Jones's face. "I'm afraid you won't think I rose to the occasion _at all_," she said deprecatingly. "It always does make me rather ill to see blood, though I know it's idiotic, and it was the soldier's hand, not the air-raid a bit, I didn't mind that at all." "What happened? Were you hysterical?" demanded Miss Delmege, with an inexplicable touch of umbrage in her refined little voice. "Certainly not," said Grace emphatically. "If you really want to know, I was just sick over the sink." Miss Jones's damaging revelation horrified the Hostel, no less than the crude manner of its avowal. "Well," said Miss Henderson, "you really are the limit, Gracie--and a bit over." "Poor child!" said Mrs. Bullivant kindly. "How dreadful for you! Miss Vivian's cousin and all, too! But, still, it was better than an absolute stranger, perhaps." "I don't see how you're ever going to face him again, though--really I don't," giggled Tony. "Poor man! so awful for him, too," minced Miss Delmege. "He must have been too uncomfortable for words." "Not he," Miss Marsh told her with sudden defiance. "He brought poor Gracie home, and delighted to have the chance. Come on, Gracie, let's go to bed. You look done for."