And she was very nervous, her white hands trembling as they fluttered over the little medicine stand by the head of the bed.
That was why, the next moment, there came the sharp clink of glass against glass as her hands came in contact with what she sought, overturning and breaking both, with such a sharp, keen, crystalline tinkle that both the sleepers were aroused suddenly and quickly, and Mr. Clarke flung out his arms, clutching Roma ere she could escape, and demanding bewilderedly:
"What is the matter? Who is this?"
"Edmund! Edmund!" cried his equally startled wife, hastily lighting a night lamp close to her arm, in time to see Roma writhing and struggling in her father's arms.
"Roma!" he panted.
"Roma!" echoed his wife.
It was a situation to strike terror to the girl's guilty heart.
But in her scheming she had not failed to take into account any possible contretemps.
Failing in her efforts to escape before her identity was detected, Roma laughed aloud, hysterically:
"Dear papa, do not squeeze me so hard, please; you take away my breath! Why, you must take me for a burglar!"