Miss Ponsonby 's long habit of obedience to whatever she was told stood her in good stead now . She obeyed Jerry without another word . Jerry seized me by the waist and waltzed me around the room in an ecstasy . `` Jerry Elliott , how are you going to carry this thing through ? '' I demanded sternly . `` Easily enough , '' responded Jerry . `` You know that black lace dress of mine -- the one with the apricot slip . I 've never worn it since I came to Glenboro , so nobody will know it 's mine , and I never mean to wear it again for it 's got too tight . It 's a trifle old-fashioned , but that wo n't matter for Glenboro , and it will fit Miss Ponsonby all right . She 's about my height and figure . I 'm determined that poor soul shall have a dissipation for once in her life since she hankers for it . Come on now , Elizabeth . It will be a lark . '' I caught Jerry 's enthusiasm , and while she hunted out the box containing the black lace dress , I hastily gathered together some other odds and ends I thought might be useful -- a black aigrette , a pair of black silk gloves , a spangled gauze fan , and a pair of slippers . They would n't have stood daylight , but they looked all right after night . As we left the room I caught up some pale pink roses on my table . We pushed through a little gap in the privet hedge and found ourselves under the acacia tree with Miss Ponsonby peering anxiously at us from above . I wanted to shriek with laughter , the whole thing seemed so funny and unreal . Jerry , although she has n't climbed trees since she was twelve , went up that acacia as nimbly as a pussy-cat , took the box and things from me , passed them to Miss Ponsonby , and got in at the window while I went back to my own room to dress , hoping old Mr. Ponsonby would n't be running out to ring the fire alarm . In a very short time I heard Miss Ponsonby and Jerry at the opposite window , and I rushed to mine to see the sight .
But Miss Ponsonby , XXXXX a red fascinator over her head and a big cape wrapped round her , slipped out of the window and down that blessed acacia tree as neatly and nimbly as if she had been accustomed to doing it for exercise every day of her life .
In after although as at from that to while with