Although the lady in black clung to her, shaking hysterically with repressed laughter, behind her crape-bordered veil, it was not till they had passed the footman, climbed the stairs and paused at Elise’s door that Mary was sure of the identity of her guest.  The disguise had been so complete that she could not believe the evidence of her own eyes, until the blond wig was torn off and the spectacles laid aside.  Then Elise threw herself across her bed, laughing until she gasped for breath.  Her mirth was so contagious that Mary joined in, laughing also until she was weak and breathless, and could only cling to the bedpost, wiping her eyes.

“And wasn’t Jimmy a whole menagerie!” Elise exclaimed as soon as she could speak.  “You should have been there to have heard him howl and tear his hair at something A.O. told him about me.  And I sat there with a perfectly straight face through the whole of it, while she made up dreadful things about me.  I’m going away off in the pasture to-morrow and practise that bray all by myself till I can do it to perfection.  Then when A.O. begins to sing his praises again, I won’t say a word.  I’ll just give her Jimmy’s laugh.  Won’t she be astonished?  She’s bound to recognize it, for it’s the only one of its kind in the world.  I shall keep her guessing until after Christmas, where I heard it.”

“Don’t you tell her till then!” she exclaimed, sitting up on the side of the bed.  “She would be so furious she wouldn’t speak to me.  But after the holidays, it won’t be so fresh in her mind.  Promise you won’t tell her.”

Still laughing, Mary promised, and Elise began to gather up the various articles of her disguise, saying, “It was worth a five-pound box of chocolates to hear her describe me as a reckless scape-grace in that sorority racket we had.”

The mention of candy had the effect of an electric shock on Mary.  “Mercy!” she cried.  “I forgot all about that stuff I left upstairs.”

Instantly sobered, she hurried away to its rescue.  She had intended to go down only long enough to discover the caller’s errand, and then excuse herself until the candy could be safely left.  But more than a quarter of an hour had gone by.  Somewhere about the premises, and for some reason unknown to her, a greater pressure of gas had been turned on, and the thin blue flame under the kettle had shot up to a full blazing ring.  A smell of burnt sugar greeted her as she opened the door.  There was no need to look into the kettle.  She knew before she did so that the candy was burnt black, and Jack’s fob no longer attainable.