as though she had been crying.
They greeted him in a friendly fashion, but
neither of them mentioned Basil.
Suddenly he heard the girl beside him draw in
her breath sharply as though something had hurt
her. Mr. Parker Pyne turned his head.
Basil Chester was coming up the steps from the
sea front. With him was a girl so exotically beauti-ful
that it quite took your breath away. She was
dark and her figure was marvelous. No one could
fail to notice the fact since she wore nothing but a
single garment of pale blue crepe. She was heavily
made up with ocher powder and an orange scarlet
mouth--but the unguents only displayed her re-markable
beauty in a more pronounced fashion.
As for young Basil, he seemed unable to take his
eyes from her face.
"You're very late, Basil," said his mother.
"You were to have taken Betty to Mac's."
"My fault," drawled the beautiful unknown.
"We just drifted." She turned to Basil. "Angel--
94
Agatha Christie
get me something with a kick in it!"
She tossed off her shoe and stretched out her
manicured toenails which were done emerald
green to match her fingernails.
She paid no attention to the two women, but she
leaned a little towards Mr. Parlcr. Pyne.
"Terrible island this," she said. "I wds just