"You'll see," Toffee said. She wriggled her plump little body to the top of the railing and peered into the well of darkness beneath her.
"Stop her!" Agatha cried. "Fetch her back, Chad! She may splatter the auto and ruin the finish!"
Chadwick reached out toward Toffee, but just as his hand went to her, there was a terrible splintering sound, and the railing began to crumble. Then the railing gave way entirely and Toffee's small figure pitched forward, plunged into the darkness below.
On the landing the three tensed, then started a bit as a dull thump echoed up to them from below.
"Oh, gracious!" Agatha wailed. "I just know she struck the auto!"
"What do you suppose ever made her do it?" Chadwick mused. He shrugged. "Just suicidal, I guess, by nature."
"You'll wash the car," Agatha said adamantly. "I won't do it."
Beside them, Marc had turned away from the railing and was peering anxiously down the darkened stairway. A smile suddenly lighted his face as the ancient boards sent up their accustomed cry.
"Heavens!" Agatha said. "Whatever could it be?"
"I haven't the faintest ..." Chadwick said. "One thing, it surely couldn't be the child."