tart. If Liddy once finds a
prophecy fulfilled, especially an unpleasant one, she never allows me
to forget it. It seemed to me that it was absurd to leave that china
dotted along the road for her to spy the next morning; so with a sudden
resolution, I opened the door again and stepped out into the darkness.
As the door closed behind me I half regretted my impulse; then I shut
my teeth and went on.

I have never been a nervous woman, as I said before. Moreover, a
minute or two in the darkness enabled me to see things fairly well.
Beulah gave me rather a start by rubbing unexpectedly against my feet;
then we two, side by side, went down the drive.

There were no fragments of china, but where the grove began I picked up
a silver spoon. So far Rosie's story was borne out: I began to wonder
if it were not indiscreet, to say the least, this midnight prowling in
a neighborhood with such a deservedly bad reputation. Then I saw
something gleaming, which proved to be the handle of a cup, and a step
or two farther on I found a V-shaped bit of a plate. But the most
surprising thing of all was to find the basket sitting comfortably
beside the road, with the rest of the broken crockery piled neatly
within, and a handful of small silver, spoon, forks, and the like, on
top! I could only stand and stare. Then Rosie's story was true. But
where had Rosie carried her basket? And why had the thief, if he were
a thief, picked up the broken china out of the road and left it, with
his booty?

It was with my nearest approach to a nervous collapse that I heard the
familiar throbbing of an automobile engine. As it came closer I
recognized the outline of the Dragon Fly, and knew that Halsey had come
back.

Strange enough it must have seemed to Halsey, too, to come across me in
the middle of the night, with the skirt of my gray silk gown over my
shoulders to keep off the dew, holding a red and green basket under one
arm and a black cat under the other. What with relief and joy, I began
to cry, right there, and very nearly wiped my eyes on Beulah in the
excitement.

CHAPTER IX

JUST LIKE A GIRL

"Aunt Ray!" Halsey said from the gloom behind the lamps. "What in the
world are you doing here?"

"Taking a walk," I said, trying to be composed. I don't think the
answer struck either of us as being ridiculous at the time. "Oh,
Halsey, where have you been?"

"Let me take you up to the house." He was in the road, and had Beu