"Why should I expect any girl to stick to me and fourteen per when she can have a place like this? Look at this swell furniture, these rugs, and them ornaments—" Going, over to the mantelpiece, he picked up one of the costly Peach Blow vases, examined it critically for a moment and turned to the girls: "I suppose this is one of them peach—peach—something or other—vases I've read about."
"Peach Blow," corrected Virginia.
"That's it," he grinned. "I suppose it's worth six or seven thousand dollars—"
"Be careful!" exclaimed Virginia warningly, "or you'll drop it."
The words were hardly uttered when Jimmie's foot caught in the rug and he stumbled, dropping the vase, which broke into two pieces. Bewildered, horrified, he stood still, surveying with dismay the fragments at his feet.
"Now you've done it!" he exclaimed hoarsely.
"I have?" exclaimed Virginia indignantly.
"Yes—I shouldn't have dropped it if you hadn't shouted at me."
Picking up the pieces, he tried to fit them together.
Fanny, frightened out of her wits, was speechless.