"Good for you, Larry!" I said; but was myself shocked a moment later when he said, with both hands in the air warning us: "Mesdames—señoras, señoritas, ladies, demoiselles—there probably isn't the least danger, but no harm in standing clear. You, Nettie," he added, when I was going to rush over to him, in my pride to let the others know who he was and I was—"you, too, Nettie, same as the rest!"
"Larry Trench, why, what—" I began, and "O Larry!" began Nan.
"And you, Nan—you know I'm not allowed to speak to you," said Larry. "I promised your mother I wouldn't"; but he gave her a glance which sent her trembling up against me, murmuring: "O Nettie, Nettie, I'm so glad!"
"And you, too, Mrs. Wedner," said Larry—"all stand clear of the main entrance. Perhaps you'd all better go up a flight—yes, two flights, up out of the way—everybody!" And he began shooing us all toward the stairs.
"All stand clear of the main entrance."
"Why, Larry Trench!" I cried, "you'd think you'd been seeing us every day for the last year, instead——"
"Don't be silly," said Nan's mother. "He is right. Ladies, I think we would all do well to follow Lieutenant Trench's instructions." And she always did look the born leader—all we women followed her when she led the way up-stairs.
But we did not go up any two flights. At the head of the grand staircase we stopped, and there waited to see what would happen next.