She understood quickly, and as the second line was drawled out they stood at the top of the stairs. Then when Hal said, "Jack fell down----" there was a terrific plunge and Philip tumbled, head over heels, all the way downstairs, with the big copper bucket rolling bumpety-bump down beside him. He was a trained athlete, and knew how to fall without hurting himself, but his mad pitching made it seem entirely an accidental fall. In the screams of laughter, the last line could scarcely be heard, but when Hal said, "And Jill came tumbling after," Patty poised on the top step, leaning over so far that it seemed as if in a moment she must pitch headlong. Her fancy dance training enabled her to hold this precarious position, and as she stood, motionless, a beautiful tableau, everybody applauded. "All over!" cried the Lord of Misrule, after a moment. "Curtain's down!" There was only an imaginary curtain, so considering herself dismissed, Patty came tripping downstairs, and the broken-crowned Jack stood waiting to receive her. "Good work!" he commented. "How could you stand in that breakneck position?" "How could you take that breakneck fall?" she queried back, and then they sought a nearby seat to witness the next "play." "Now," said the Lord of Misrule, "we will have a thrilling drama by Miss Dow and--well, she may select her own company." "I choose Jim Kenerley," said Daisy, suddenly remembering a little trick they used to do in school. A whispered word was enough to recall it to Jim's mind, and in a twinkling he had snatched a gay silk lamp-shade from an electrolier and clapped it on his head, and draped around him a Bagdad couch cover. Then he caught up a big bronze dagger from a writing-table, and he and Daisy went to the staircase landing, which was almost like a stage. Seemingly, Jim was a fearful bandit, dragging a lady, who hung back with moans and cries. On the landing, he brandished the dagger fearsomely, and Daisy knelt before him, begging for mercy. At least, her attitude denoted that, but all she said was: "A B C D," in a low, pleading voice. "E F G!" shouted Jim, dancing about in a fierce fury. Daisy threw out her arms and fairly grovelled at his feet, begging, "H I J K." "L M!" shouted Jim; "N O!" Then Daisy's pretty hair became loosened from its pins, and fell, a shining mass, down her back. Jim clutched it. "P Q R!" he yelled, as he waved the dagger aloft. "S T!" moaned Daisy, swaying from side to side, as if in an agony of fear. "U! V! W!" and the blade of the dagger rested against the fair neck, as the dreadful brigand, with a fierce shout, attacked his victim. "X Y!" Daisy shrieked, and then toppled over, as if killed, while Jim, with a frenzied yell of "Z!" towered, triumphant, above his slain captive. How they all laughed; for it was good acting, though of course greatly burlesqued. But both had a touch of dramatic genius, and they had often given this little exhibition in their old school days.