"Nor to bicker about it?"
She laughed a denial.
"Nor yet to conduct a guessing contest?"
"No."
"Then I've exhausted my allowance.... Well?"
"I came," she drawled, "for my hat."
"Your hat?" His eyes opened wide.
She nodded. "My pretty hat. You remember you promised to give it to me
if nobody else claimed it."
"Yes, but ..."
"And nobody has claimed it?"
"No, but ..."
"Then I want my hat."
"But--hold on--give somebody a chance--"
"Stupid?" she laughed. "Isn't it enough that I claim it? Am I nobody?"
"Wait half a minute. You've got me going." He paused, frowning
thoughtfully, recollecting his wits; then by degrees the light began to
dawn upon him. "Do you mean you really did send me that confounded
bandbox?"