“It isn’t! It can’t be!” faltered the surprised maid. “This is boy——”
“Boy nothing!” almost shouted Jerry, so glad to see Nora in any guise that her strange costume interested him not at all.
“The poor little darling,” cried Ted, gathering the black velvet form up into her arms. “What ever happened to you, dear?”
Nora brushed a dusty hand over her blinking eyes. “Oh, I am so glad I am saved. I thought I would surely die.”
“Up attic. Why baby! No one could die in our attic. Cap knew you were up there and if you had not tumbled down just when you did he would have gone through the wall to find you, wouldn’t you, old fellow?” Jerry asked fondly.
The Saint Bernard was in his native element at the rescue work, and he licked Nora’s hand contentedly. Ted had gathered the child up into her arms and Vita was already busy getting a refreshing drink. Jerry, manlike, just looked on, happy beyond words, for in the bad hour previous he was a prey to keen anxiety, and during the process made up his mind in the future to keep Nora closer to the family circle at all times.
Nora had not yet come to the point of talking. Her swoon and its consequent haziness left her in a daze, and with the mother-like arms about her, and the breath of Cap reviving her, and Cousin Jerry’s big soft eyes encouraging her, the relief from her fright was slowly creeping over her and it was so delicious she had no idea of dispelling it with mere words.
“I know,” said Teddie softly, “you were playing parts, dressing up in the duds from the big chest.”
“Did you go to sleep in the trunk?” ventured Jerry, slyly.
“No, I don’t know just where I was—I was——” faltered Nora, now beginning to feel a little foolish in her boy’s outfit.