"Ef I'm gwine to tell you my story I'll do it in my own way," said Clorinda, majestically.
"In course, in course," returned Dolf. "I begs pardon for de 'ruption. Jis' go on, sweetest Miss Clo'."
"I tells yer dar's been somethin' agoing on in dis house," pursued Clorinda. "Dat ar bracelet losing was all of a piece wid what went afore. Missus was awful mad at me for saying so, but I don't care. She's queer—stuck up like. There's Miss Elsie, sweet allers as a young kitten!"
"Yes, yes," Dolf said, ready to agree with anything in order to get at the heart of Clorinda's mystery.
"Afore ever dat ring was lost I seed a man in de house in de dead ob de night—a man and a woman!"
"Good gracious!" cried Dolf.
"I'd had de toothache, and ben down to de kitchen fire a smokin' pennyryal, and awful sick it made me. I was gwine up de back stairs, when I heard steps in de hall. I looked in and I seed a man and woman plain. I had de candle in my hand. I screeched right out, and shut my eyes, and let de candle fall. When I opened 'em again missus had come out of her room, wid a shawl over her and a lamp in her hand.
"'What yer doin' dar?' says she.
"I up and telled her 'bout de man and woman, and she larfed in my face.
"'Whar be dey?' says she. 'Dar's nobody here but us.'