"He was in the closet—"
"No; he was on the stairs—"
"Just getting out of the window—"
"With just her bare hands, I tell you. Just took a—"
"Pair of earrings, nothing else in the world."
"But who was he—where did he come from? What does Peggy say about it?"
"Girls! girls!" cried Miss Cortlandt. "Will you please be silent for a moment? Peggy has not had a chance to say a word yet, and I for one want to hear her story. Have you got your breath yet, Peggy? because we all want to hear, very much indeed."
"There isn't much to tell," said Peggy, blushing. "I went up to get my handkerchief,—I had forgotten it,—and as I was coming out of my room, this fellow was just coming out of the other room."
"What other room? Whose was it?" cried a dozen voices.
"Why, Van—I mean No. 17, Miss Vincent and Miss Varnham's room."