First Mrs. Pulsifer slips out easy. Next Edna follows her, and after them Marjorie and Vee, havin' exchanged some whispered remarks, disappears too. Maybe it was my play to stick it out with Ferdie and the old boy, but I couldn't see any percentage in that, with Vee gone; so I wanders casual into the hall, butts around through the music room, follows a bright light at the rear, and am almost run down by Marjorie hurrying the other way sleuthy.
"Oh!" she squeals. "It's you, is it, Torchy? S-s-s-sh!"
"What you shushin' about?" says I.
"Oh, it's dreadful!" puffs Marjorie. "He—he's come!"
"That Gilkey guy?" says I.
"Ye-e-es," says she. "But—but how did you know?"
"I'm a seventh son, born with a cowlick," says I. "Was it Gilkey made his entrance through the cucumber frame?"
It was. Also he'd managed to cut himself in the ankles and right wrist. They had him in the kitchen, patchin' him up now, and they was all scared stiff for fear Pa Pulsifer would discover it before they could send him away.
"He'll be a nut if he don't," says I, "with all you women out here. Your game is to chase back and keep Pulsifer interested."
"I suppose you're right," says Marjorie. "Let's tell them."