TOILET PERFORMED UNDER DIFFICULTIES. 51

great clock outside on the landing; besides I
can easily slip into Freda’s room and peep at
her watch,

Comforting myself thus, I hop into bed,
and am soon in a deep sleep.

The sun streaming into my bed-room win-
dow in the morning wakes me, and I fly out
of bed in alarm and rush out into the passage
to ascertain what time it is. I return with
a sigh of relief, for it is only just half-past
five, and I feel I shall just have time to dress
and get off comfortably. I perform my toilet
as nolselessly as possible, but of course I
drop my brush, and clatter the soap-dish,
and then the frill on my wrist catches a
pin on the cushion and away it goes off
the table, carrying with it an empty scent-
bottle.

I do not stop to pick them up though, for
fear Freda should have heard the noise and
get up to see the meaning of it. So I open
the door hastily, but just as I step across the
threshold, my umbrella, which has a peculiar
talent for tumbling down on the slightest