blue and white) and told the girls I was going to lean out of the window on the roof of the porch to get the string loose, and they must hold on to my feet, for the roof sloped and I might slip if they didn’t.  They tried to stop me, and Amy wrung her hands, being very nervous from living on a strain and loving in secret, but I was out head foremost in a jiffy, and all four made a grab for my feet and legs.  Being flat on my stomach, and having long arms, I got the string off from the piece of shingle, and just as I did it and threw it to Taylor I heard a noise and a little cry from the girls, something about, “Oh, my goodness! here she comes!” and I knew what had happened.

“Pull the window down on my feet and let go,” I called, as loud as I dared, “and draw the curtains so she won’t see my shoes.  If she asks where I am, tell her I am outdoors.  Quick!  Let it down!”

They got it down and drew the curtains just as her Royal Highness walked in, and as she went toward the window Katherine Hardy says that never before had she prayed as she prayed that minute, and then she thought of mice, which was a quick answer.  She gave a little scream and jumped with her hands over her eyes and bumped into the lady, who, being a woman first, was also afraid of mice, and she moved, too.  Seeing the girls flying around, she told them to stop, told them Maud Hendren’s mother had telephoned that she must come home at once and, not missing me, owing to the girls moving about so she wouldn’t notice, she went out of the room, skirts still held up, and the minute she was out they rushed for the window and pulled me in.

My dress was a sight when I got in, and I didn’t have much skin on my elbows, and my hands were stuck up with splinters, as I had to hold on to anything I could clutch, being afraid the window would not hold my feet and the shingles being rotten.  But otherwise no damage was done, and I got the note Taylor had tied to the string, which I had pulled up by the time the Ogress had departed.  I gave it to Amy and told her to read it quick.

She read it, and after doing it turned so white and looked so queer we were frightened.  For a minute she couldn’t speak, then she handed me the note, and when I asked if I must read it aloud she nodded her head and sat down, as if to stand up was impossible.  I glanced over it first so as to leave out the little love decorations and just read the practical part, and what Taylor told her was that he had just gotten a telegram from his house (it’s iron-works I think) saying he must leave on important business for South America on the 6th of September.  The house had been talking of sending him for some time, and had been waiting for certain developments which had suddenly developed, and he would have to go.  Would she go with him, and if she would not he never expected to come back again, but would stay over there and take charge of the South-American branch of the house he was going to establish.  She would have