“Talk about movie stunts!” shouted Tom Cameron, for the frightened Bella leaped like a cat upon the haymow door and swung outward with nothing more stable than air between her and the ground, more than thirty feet below!
CHAPTER VIII
THE AUCTION BLOCK
Helen Cameron and Jennie Stone shrieked in unison when Miss Susan Timmins’ niece cast herself out of the haymow upon the plank door and swung as far as the door would go upon its creaking hinges. Ruth seized Tom’s wrist in a nervous grip, but did not utter a word. Aunt Kate turned away and covered her eyes with her hands that she might not see the reckless child fall—if she did fall.
“Name of a name!” murmured Henri Marchand. “Au secours! Come, Tom, mon ami—to the rescue!”
He turned and ran lightly along the hall and down the stairs. But Tom went through the window, almost as precipitately as had Bella Pike herself, and so over the roof of the kitchen ell and down the trumpet-vine trellis.
Tom was in the yard and running to the barn before Marchand got out of the kitchen. Several other people, early as the hour was, appeared running toward the rear premises of Drovers’ Tavern.
“See that crazy young one!” some woman shrieked. “I know she’ll kill herself yet.”