"Then who could have done it?" asked Mrs. Hoyt.
There was a profound silence in the room, while the three sisters looked at one another. Twice Miss Middleton essayed to speak, but her voice failed her, and she coughed instead. Miss Thomasine pulled off her gloves, quite unconscious that she was committing such a breach of etiquette. Miss Joanna at length recovered her usual courage.
"We think, Mrs. Hoyt," said she, clearly, and with emphasis, nodding her head in time to her words, and causing her spectacles to flash ominously—"we think that it may have been one of your sons."
Mrs. Hoyt was speechless, and she grew very pale.
"What makes you think so?" she asked at length. Even Miss Joanna quailed before the light that was in her eyes.
"Because," she faltered—"because some of them were in our house this morning."
"Miss Middleton, I think I can safely say that if one of my boys were responsible for such a misfortune, he would be enough of a gentleman to acknowledge it and to apologize. However, I will question them in your presence—that is, if they can be found. Ah, there they come now, up the drive, and Teddy is with them. They have been teaching her to ride the bicycle."
She left the room as she spoke. The Misses Middleton looked at one another.
"Our niece on a bicycle!" murmured Miss Middleton.
"I believe it was she whom we met," exclaimed Miss Joanna. "I believe also that she, and she alone, broke the bowl. This only goes to prove it."