"That's what I thought," Toffee said. She shrugged. "In that case...." She started toward the door. Marc, having come to life again when Mr. Culpepper's finger was delivered from the hand of Chadwick, suddenly ran to Toffee's side. Together they moved through the doorway, and Chadwick and Agatha followed. Mr. Culpepper, for his part, continued to slumber contentedly in his corner. Outside on the landing, Toffee went with business-like directness to the outer railing and started to climb over it. "Good heavens, child," Agatha said. "What are you doing?" "I'm going to jump," Toffee said. "You'll agree, won't you, that such a fall would kill most people?" "Oh, but you mustn't!" Agatha cried, shocked. "You'll make a mess on the floor!" "You'll see," Toffee said. She wriggled her plump little body to the top of the railing and peered into the well of darkness beneath her. "Stop her!" Agatha cried. "Fetch her back, Chad! She may splatter the auto and ruin the finish!" Chadwick reached out toward Toffee, but just as his hand went to her, there was a terrible splintering sound, and the railing began to crumble. Then the railing gave way entirely and Toffee's small figure pitched forward, plunged into the darkness below. On the landing the three tensed, then started a bit as a dull thump echoed up to them from below. "Oh, gracious!" Agatha wailed. "I just know she struck the auto!" "What do you suppose ever made her do it?" Chadwick mused. He shrugged. "Just suicidal, I guess, by nature." "You'll wash the car," Agatha said adamantly. "I won't do it." Beside them, Marc had turned away from the railing and was peering anxiously down the darkened stairway. A smile suddenly lighted his face as the ancient boards sent up their accustomed cry. "Heavens!" Agatha said. "Whatever could it be?" "I haven't the faintest ..." Chadwick said. "One thing, it surely couldn't be the child." But it was the child. Emerging from the darkness, Toffee raced up the stairs, smiling and completely unmarked. For a
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