Colonel Gregory,
a punctilious gentleman of the old school--who is in command just
now--appeared in a striking costume, consisting of a skimpy evening
gown of white, a dark military blouse over that, and a pair of
military riding boots, and he carried an unsheathed saber. He is very
tall and thin and his hair is very white, and I laugh now when I think
of how funny he looked. But no one thought of laughing at that time.
Mrs. Norton was carried in, and her house searched throughout. No one
was found, but burned matches were on the floor of one or two rooms,
which gave evidence that some one had been there.
In the yard back of the house a pair of heavy overshoes, also
government socks, were found, so it was decided that the man had
climbed up on the roof and entered the house through a dormer window
that had not been fastened. No one would look for the piece of shingle
that night, but in the morning I found it on the ground close to the
house.
All the time the search was being made I had been in the window.
Colonel Mills insisted that I should go to his house for the remainder
of the night, but suggested that I put some clothes on first! It
occurred to me then, for the first time, that my own costume was
rather striking--not quite the proper thing for a balcony scene.
Everyone was more than kind, but for a long time after Miss Mills and
I had gone to her room my teeth chattered and big tears rolled down my
face.
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