“He has gone to the garage. Wait! You shall not go.”
He put out a detaining arm, under which she ducked and fled nimbly down the stairs and out to the door. She heard him pursuing, but she jumped on Francis’ wheel which stood near and was soon coasting down the driveway to the garage.
“Hebby! Oh—oh, Hebby!” she called to the man sauntering at some distance ahead of her.
“The thief!” he exclaimed as she came up to him and dismounted. “So, at last I’ve found you!”
“Found me! Well, I like that! Here I come chasing after you and doing the finding myself. Really lost your ring this time, Hebby? Didn’t seem like your ‘code’ to mention your loss to so new an acquaintance. Sort of a breach, wasn’t it?”
He flushed shamefacedly, but his discomfiture, short-lived, was succeeded by a broad grin.
“Then it was you who took it! That tall, solemn guy seemed to think he could recover it, but I am more delighted at recovering you than a hundred rings.”
“May I keep it, Hebby?”
“You always said you detested that ring—that it was very parvenu and so forth. But what are you doing up here, and how did you get in with these folks?”
“Can’t a thief break in anywhere? It’s far more surprising how you got in.”