CHAPTER XI
"THE TAMING OF THE SHREW"
"School again, Rob! Don't you hate it?"
"No, of course I don't hate it. I'm much, much happier when I'm teachingEthel Revell to forget her important young self and remember the partshe is supposed to play, than I am when I am merely dusting my room ordriving downtown on errands."
As she spoke Roberta pushed into place the last hairpin in the close andtrim arrangement of her dark hair, briefly surveyed the result with ahand-glass, and rose from her dressing-table. Ruth, at a considerablyearlier stage of her dressing, regarded her sister's head with interest.
"I can always tell the difference between a school day and another day,just by looking at your hair," she observed, sagely.
"How, Miss Big Eyes, if you please?"
"You never leave a curl sticking out, on school days. They sometimeswork out before night, but that's not your fault. You look like one ofJane Austen's heroines, now."
Roberta laughed a laugh of derision. "Miss Austen's heroines undoubtedlyhad ringlets hanging in profusion on either side of their oval faces."
"Yes, but I mean every hair of theirs was in order, and so are yours."
"Thank you. Only so can I command respect when I lecture my girls ontheir frenzied coiffures. Oh, but I'm thankful I can live at home anddon't have to spend the nights with them! Some of them are dears, but tobe responsible for them day and night would harrow my soul. Hook me up,will you, Rufus, please?"
"You look just like a smooth feathered bluebird in this," commentedRuth, as she obediently fastened the severely simple school dress ofdark blue, relieved only by its daintily fresh collar and cuffs ofembroidered white lawn.
"I mean to. Miss Copeland wouldn't have a fluffy, frilly teacher in herschool--and I don't blame her. It's difficult enough to train fluffy,frilly girls to like simplicity, even if one's self is a model ofplainness and repose."
"And you're truly glad to go back, after this lovely vacation? Shouldn'tyou sort of like to keep on typing for Uncle Calvin, with Mr. RichardKendrick sitting close by, looking at you over the top of his book?"
Roberta wheeled, answering with vehemence: "I should say not, youromantic infant! When I work I want to work with workers, not withdrones! A person who can only dawdle over his task is of no use at all.How Uncle Calvin gets on with a mere imitation of a secretary, I can'tpossibly see. Why, Ted himself could cover more ground in a morning!"
"I don't think you do him justice," Ruth objected, with all the dignityof her sixteen years in evidence. "Of course he couldn't work as wellwith you in the room--he isn't used to it. And you are--you certainlyare, awfully nice to look at, Rob."
"Nonsense! It's lucky you're going back to school yourself, child, toget these sentimental notions out of your head. Come, vacation's over!Let's not sigh for more dances; let's go at our work with a will. I'veplenty before me. The school play comes week after next, and I haven'tas good material this year as last. How I'm ever going to get OliviaCartwright to put sufficient backbone into her _Petruchio_, I don'tknow. I only wish I could play him myself!"
"Rob! Couldn't you?"
"It's never done. My part is just to coach and coach, to go over thelines a thousand times and the stage business ten thousand, and then tostay behind the scenes and hiss at them: 'More spirit! More life! Throwyourself into it!' and then to watch them walk it through like puppets!Well, _The Taming of the Shrew_ is pretty stiff work for amateurs, nodoubt of that--there's that much to be said. Breakfast time, childie!You must hurry, and I must be off."
Half an hour later Ruth watched her sister walk away down the streetwith Louis, her step as lithe and vigorous as her brother's. Ruthherself was accustomed to drive with her father to the school which sheattended--a rival school, as it happened, of the fashionable one atwhich Roberta taught. She was not so strong as her sister, and atwo-mile walk to school was apt to overtire her. But Roberta chose towalk every day and all days, and the more stormy the weather the surerwas she to scorn all offers of a place beside Ruth in the brougham.
Louis's comment on the return of his sister to her work at MissCopeland's school was much like that of Ruth. "Sorry vacation's over,Rob? That's where I have the advantage of you. The office never closesfor more than a day; therefore I'm always in training."
"That's an advantage, surely enough. But I'm ready to go back. As I wastelling Ruth this morning, I'm anxious to know whether Olivia Cartwrighthas forgotten her lines, and whether she's going to be able to infuse abit of life into her _Petruchio_. This trying to make a schoolgirl playa big man's part--"
"You could do it, yourself," observed Louis, even as Ruth had done.
"And shouldn't I love to! I'm just longing to stride about the stage in_Petruchio's_ boots."
"I'll wager you are. I'd like to see you do it. But the part of_Katherine_ would be the thing for you--fascinating shrew that you couldbe."
"This--from a brother! Yes, I'd like to play _Katherine_, too. But giveme the boots, if you please. Do you happen to remember OliviaCartwright?"
"Of course I do. And a mighty pretty and interesting girl she is. Ishould think she might make a _Petruchio_ for you."
"I thought she would. But the boots seem to have a devastating effect.The minute she gets them on--even in imagination, for we haven't had adress rehearsal yet--her voice grows softer and her manner morelady-like. It's the funniest thing I ever knew, to hear her say thelines--
"'What is this? mutton?...'Tis burnt, and so is all the meat.What dogs are these? Where is the rascal cook?
"How durst you, villains, bring it from the dresser,And serve it thus to me that love it not? There, take it to you, trenchers, cups and all,You heedless joltheads and unmannered slaves!'"
Passersby along the street beheld a young man consumed with mirth asLouis Gray heard these stirring words issuing from his sister's prettymouth in a clever imitation of the schoolgirl _Petruchio's_ "lady-like"tones.
"Now speak those lines as you would if you wore the boots," he urged,when he had recovered his gravity.
Roberta waited till they were at a discreet distance from otherpedestrians, then delivered the lines as she had already spoken them forher pupil twenty times or more, with a spirit and temper which gave themtheir character as the assumed bluster they were meant to picture.
"Good!" cried Louis. "Great! But you see, Sis, you have learned theabsolute control of your voice, and that's a thing few schoolgirls havemastered. Besides, not every girl has a throat like yours."
"I mean to be patient," said Roberta soberly. "And Olivia has really agood speaking voice. It's the curious effect of the imaginary boots thatstirs my wonder. She actually speaks in a higher key with them on thanoff. But we shall improve that, in the fortnight before the play. Theyare really doing very well, and our _Katherine_--Ethel Revell--is goingto forget herself completely in her part, if I can manage it. In spiteof the hard work I thoroughly enjoy the rehearsing of the yearlyplay--it's a relief from the routine work of the class. And the girlsappreciate the best there is, in the great writers and dramatists, asyou wouldn't imagine they could do."
"On the whole, you would rather be a teacher than an officestenographer?" suggested Louis, with a touch of mischief in his tone."You know, I've always been a bit disappointed that you didn't come intoour office, after working so hard to make an expert of yourself."
"That training wasn't wasted," defended Roberta. "I'm able to makefriends with my working girls lots better on account of the stenographyand typewriting I know. And I may need that resource yet. I'm not at allsure that I mean to be a teacher all my days."
"I'm very sure you'll not," said her brother, with a laughing glance,which Roberta ignored. It was a matter of considerable amusement to herbrothers the serious way in which she had set about being independent.They fully approved of her decision to spend her time in a way worth thewhile, but when it came to planning for a lifetime--there were plenty ofreasons for skepticism as to her needing to look far ahead. Indeed,
itwas well known that Roberta might have abandoned all effort long ago,and have given any one of several extremely eligible young men thegreatly desired opportunity of taking care of her in his own way.
The pair separated at a street corner, and, as it happened, Louis heardlittle more about the progress of the school rehearsals for _The Tamingof the Shrew_ until the day before its public performance--if aperformance could be called public which was to be given in so private aplace as the ballroom in the home of one of the wealthiest patrons ofthe school, the audience composed wholly of invited guests, andadmission to the affair for others extremely difficult to procure on anyground whatever.
Appearing at the close of the final rehearsal to escort his sisterhome--for the hour, like that of all final rehearsals, was late--Louisfound a flushed and highly wrought Roberta delivering last instructionseven as she put on her wraps.
"Remember, Olivia," he heard her say to a tall girl wrapped in a longcloak which evidently concealed male trappings, "I'm not going to tonedown my part one bit to fit yours. If I'm stormy you must be blustering;if I'm furious you must be fierce. You can do it, I know."
"I certainly hope so, Miss Gray," answered a none-too-confident voice."But I'm simply frightened to death to play opposite you."
"Nonsense! I'll stick pins into you--metaphorically speaking," declaredRoberta. "I'll keep you up to it. Now go straight to bed--no sitting upto talk it over with Ethel--poor child! Good-night, dear, and don't youdare be afraid of me!"
"Are you going to play the boots, after all?" Louis queried as he andRoberta started toward home, walking at a rapid pace, as usual afterrehearsals.
"I wish I were, if I must play some part. No, it's _Katherine_. EthelRevell has come down with tonsilitis, just at the last minute. It was tobe expected, of course--somebody always does it. But I did hope itwouldn't be one of the principals. Of course there's nobody who couldpossibly get up the part overnight except the coach, so I'm in for it.And the worst of it is that unless I'm very careful I shallover-_Katherine_ my _Petruchio_! If Olivia will only keep her voiceresonant! She can stride and gesture pretty well now, but highlydramatic moments always cause her to raise her key--and then the bootsonly serve to make the effect grotesque."
"Never mind; unconscious humour is always interesting to the audience.And we shall all be there to see your _Katherine_. I had thought ofcutting the performance for a rather important address, but nothingwould induce me to miss my sister as the _Shrew_."
Roberta laughed. "Nobody will question my fitness for the part, I fear.Well, if I teach expression, in a girls' school, I must take theconsequences, and be willing to express anything that comes along."
If Roberta had expected any sympathy from her family in the exigency ofthe hour, she was disappointed. Instead of condoling with her, thebreakfast-table hearers of the news, next morning, were able only tocongratulate themselves upon the augmented interest the school playwould now have for Roberta's friends, confident that the presence of oneclever actress of maturer powers would compensate for muchamateurishness in the others. Ruth, young devotee of her sister, wasdelighted beyond measure with the prospect, and joyfully spent the daytaking necessary stitches in the apparel Roberta was to wear,considerable alteration being necessary to adapt the garments intendedfor the slim and girlish _Katherine_ of Ethel Revell's proportions tothe more perfectly rounded lines of her teacher.
Late in the afternoon, something was needed to complete Roberta'spreparations which could be procured only in a downtown shop, and Ruthvolunteered to order the brougham--now on runners--and go down for it.She left the house alone, but she did not complete her journey alone,for halfway down the two-mile boulevard she passed a figure she knew,and turned to bestow a girlish bow and smile.
Richard Kendrick not only took off his hat but waved it with a gestureof entreaty, as he quickened his steps, and Ruth, much excited by theencounter, bade Thomas stop the horses.
"Would you take a passenger?" he asked as he came up; "unless, ofcourse, you're going to stop for some one else?"
"Do get in," she urged shyly. "No, I'm all alone--going on an errand."
"I guessed it--not the errand, but the being alone. You looked so small,wrapped up in all these furs, I felt you needed company," explainedRichard, smiling down into the animated young face, with its delicatecolour showing fresh and fair in the frosty air. There was somethingvery attractive to the young man in this girl, who seemed to him theembodiment of sweetness and purity. He never saw her without feelingthat he would have liked just such a little sister. He would have donemuch to please her, quite as he had followed her suggestion about thechurch-going on Christmas Day.
"I'm rushing down to find a scarf of a certain colour for Rob,"explained Ruth, too full of her commission to keep it to herself. "Yousee, she's playing _Katherine_ to-night. The girl who was to have playedit--Ethel Revell--is ill. Do you know any of Miss Copeland's girls?Olivia Cartwright plays _Petruchio_."
"Olivia Cartwright? Is she to be in some play? She's a distant cousin ofmine."
"It's a school play--Miss Copeland's school, where Rob teaches, youknow. The play is to be in the Stuart Hendersons' ballroom." And Ruthmade known the situation to a listener who gave her his undividedattention.
"Well, well,--seems to me I should have had an invitation for thatplay," mused Richard, searching his memory. "I wish I'd had one. Ishould like to see your sister act _Katherine_. I suppose it's quiteimpossible to get one at this late hour?"
"I'm afraid so. It's really not at all strange that any one is left outof the list of invitations," Ruth hastened to make clear. "You see, eachgirl is allowed only six, and that usually takes just her family ornearest friends. And if you are only a distant cousin of Olivia's--"
"It's not at all strange that she shouldn't ask me, for I'm afraid I'veneglected to avail myself of former invitations of hers," admittedRichard, ruefully. "Too bad. Punishment for such neglect usuallyfollows--and I certainly have it now. I know the Stuart Hendersons,though--I wonder--Never mind, Miss Ruth, don't look so sorry. You'lltell me about it afterward, some time, won't you?"
"Indeed I will. Oh, it's been such an exciting day. Rob's beenrehearsing her lines all day--when she wasn't trying on. She says shecould have played _Petruchio_ much better, because she's had to coachOlivia Cartwright for that part so much more than she's had to coachEthel for _Katherine_. But, then, she knows the whole play--she couldtake any part. She would have loved to play _Petruchio_, though, onaccount of the boots and the slashing round the stage the way he does.But I think it's just as well, for _Katherine_ certainly slashes,too--and Rob's not quite tall enough for _Petruchio_."
"I'm glad she plays _Katherine_," said Richard Kendrick decidedly. "Ican't imagine your sister in boots! I've no doubt, though, she'd makethem different from other boots--if she wore them!"
"Of course she would," agreed Ruth. Then she began to talk aboutsomething else, for a bit of fear had come into her mind that Robwouldn't enjoy all this discussion of herself, if she should know aboutit.
She was such an honest young person, however, that she had a good dealof difficulty, when she had done her errand and was at home again, innot telling Roberta of her meeting with Richard Kendrick. She didventure to ask a question.
"Is Mr. Kendrick invited for to-night, Rob?"
"Not by me," Roberta responded promptly.
"He might be, by one of the girls, I suppose?"
"The girls invite whom they like. I haven't seen the list. I don'timagine he would be on it. I hope not, certainly."
"Why? Don't you think he would enjoy it?"
"No, I do not. Musical comedies are probably more to his taste thanamateur productions of Shakespeare. But I'm not thinking about theaudience--the players are enough for me." Then, suddenly, an idea whichflashed into her mind caused her to turn and scan Ruth's ingenuous youngface.
"You haven't been inviting Mr. Kendrick yourself, Rufus?"
"Why, how could I?" But the girl flushed rosily in a way whi
ch betrayedher interest. "I just--wondered."
"How did you come to wonder? Have you seen him?"
Ruth being Ruth, there was nothing to do but to tell Roberta of theencounter with Richard. "He said he was glad you were to play_Katherine_, because he couldn't imagine you in boots," she added,hoping this news might appease her sister. But it did nothing of thesort.
"As if it made the slightest difference to him! But if he feels thatway, I wish I were to wear the boots, and I wish he might be there tosee me do it. As it is, I hope Mrs. Stuart Henderson will be deaf to hisaudacity, if he dares to ask an invitation. It would be quite like him!"
"I don't see why--" began Ruth.
But Roberta interrupted her. "There are lots of things you don't see,little sister," said she, with a swift and impetuous embrace of theslender form beside her. Then she turned, frowned, flung out her arm,and broke into one of _Katherine's_ flaming speeches:
_"'Why, sir, I trust, I may have leave to speak:And speak I will: I am no child, no babe:Your betters have endured me say my mindAnd if you cannot, best you stop your ears.'"_
"Oh, but you do have such a lovely voice!" cried Ruth. "You can't makeeven the _Shrew_ sound shrewish--in her tone, I mean."
"Can't I, indeed? Wait till to-night! If your friend Mr. Kendrick is tobe there I'll be more shrewish than you ever dreamed--it will be a realstimulus!"
Ruth shook her head in dumb wonder that any one could be so imperviousto the charms of the young man who so appealed to her youthfulimagination. Three hours afterward, when she turned in her chair, in theStuart Henderson ballroom, at the summons of a low voice in her ear, tofind Richard Kendrick in the row behind her, she wondered afresh whatthere could possibly be about him to rouse her sister's antagonism. Hisface was such an interesting one, his eyes so clear and their glance sostraightforward, his fresh colour so pleasant to note, his wholepersonality so attractive, Ruth could only answer him in the happiestway at her command with a subdued but eager: "Oh, I'm so glad you came!"
"That's due to Mrs. Cartwright's wonderful kindness. She's the mother of_Petruchio_, you know," explained Richard, with a smiling glance at thegorgeously gowned woman beside him, who leaned forward also to say toRuth:
"What is one to do with a sweetly apologetic young cousin who begs to beallowed to come, at the last moment, to view his cousin in doublet andhose? But I really didn't venture to tell Olivia. She would have fledfrom the stage if she had guessed that cousin Richard, whom she greatlyadmires, was to be here. I can only hope she will not hear of it tillthe play is over."
"If his being here is going to make _Petruchio_ tremble more, and_Katherine_ act naughtier, I shall feel dreadfully guilty," thoughtRuth. But somehow when the curtain went up she could not help being gladthat he was there, behind her.
Roberta had said much, in hours of relaxation after long and tenserehearsals, of the difficulty of making schoolgirls forget themselves inany part. It had been difficult, indeed, to train her pupils to speakand act with naturalness in roles so foreign to their experience. Butshe had been much more successful than she had dared to believe, and herown enthusiasm, her tireless drilling, above all her inspiring exampleas she spoke her girls' lines for them and demonstrated to them eachtelling detail of stage business, had done the work with astonishingeffect. The hardest task of all had been to find and develop asatisfactory delineator of the difficult part of the _Tamer of theShrew_, but Roberta had persevered, even taking a journey of some hourswith Olivia Cartwright to have her see and study one of the greatest of_Petruchios_ at two successive performances. She had succeeded instimulating Olivia to a real determination to be worthy of her teacher'sexpressed belief in her, even to the mastering of her girlish tendencyto let her voice revert to a high-keyed feminine quality just when itneeded to be deepest and most stern.
The audience, as the play began, was in the customary benevolent mood ofaudiences beholding amateur productions, ready to see good if possible,anxious to show favour to all the young actors and to praise withoutdiscrimination, aware of the proximity of proud fathers and mothers. Butthis audience soon found itself genuinely interested and amused, andwith the first advent of the enchanting _Shrew_ herself became absorbedin her personality and her fortunes quite as it might have been in thoseof any talented actress of reputation.
To Ruth, sitting wide eyed and hot cheeked, her sister seemed the mostspirited and bewitching _Katherine_ ever played. Her shrewishness wasthat of the wilful madcap girl who has never been crossed rather thanthat of the inherently ill-tempered woman, and her every word andgesture, her every expression of face and tone of voice, were worthnoting and watching. By no means finished work--as how should it be, ina young teacher but few years out of school herself--it yet had anoriginality and freshness of interpretation all its own, and theapplause which praised it was very spontaneous and genuine. Roberta hadbeen the joy of her class in college dramatics, and several of herformer classmates, in her audience to-night, gleefully told one anotherthat she was surpassing anything she had formerly done.
"It's simply superb, you know, don't you?--your sister's acting," saidRichard Kendrick's voice in Ruth's ear again at the end of the firstact, and she turned her burning cheek his way as she answered happily:
"It seems so to me--but then I'm prejudiced, you know."
"We're all prejudiced, when it comes to that--made so by thisperformance. I'm pretty proud of my cousin _Petruchio_, too," he wenton, including Mrs. Cartwright at his side. "I'd no idea boots could beso becoming to any girl--outside of a chorus. Olivia's splendid. Do yousuppose"--he was addressing Ruth again--"you and I might go behind thescenes and tell them how we feel about it?"
"Oh, no, indeed, Mr. Kendrick," Ruth replied, much shocked. "It's lotsdifferent, a girls' play like this, from the regular theatre. They'd beso astonished to see you. Rob's told me, heaps of times, how they goperfectly crazy after every act, and she has all she can do to keep themcool enough for the next. She'd never forgive us. And besides, OliviaCartwright's not to know you're here, you know."
"That's true. I'd forgotten how disturbing my presence is supposed tobe," and Richard leaned back again to laugh with Mrs. Cartwright.
But, behind the scenes, the news had penetrated, nobody knew just how.Roberta learned, to her surprise and distraction, that Richard Kendrickwas somehow a particularly interesting figure in the eyes of her youngplayers, and she speedily discovered that they were all more or lessexcited at the knowledge that he was somewhere below the footlights.Olivia, indeed, was immediately in a flutter, quite as her mother hadpredicted, at the thought of Cousin Richard's eyes upon her in hermasculine attire; and Roberta, in the brief interval she could spare forthe purpose, had to take her sternly in hand. An autocratic _Katherine_might, then, have been overheard addressing a flurried _Petruchio_, in acorner:
"For pity's sake, child, who is he that you need be afraid of him? He'sno critic, I'll wager, and if he's your cousin he'll be sure to thinkyou act like a veteran, anyhow. Forget him, and go ahead. You're doingsplendidly. Don't you dare slump just because you're remembering youraudience!"
"Oh, of course I'll try, Miss Gray," replied an extremely feminine voicefrom beneath _Petruchio's_ fierce mustachios. "But Richard Kendrickreally is awfully sort of upsetting, don't you know?"
"Of course I don't know," denied Roberta promptly. "As long as MissCopeland herself is pleased with us, nobody else matters. And MissCopeland is delighted--she sent me special word just now. So stiffenyour backbone, _Petruchio_, and make this next dialogue with me as rapidas you know. Come back at me like flash-fire--don't lag a breath--we'llstir the house to laughter, or know the reason why. Ready?"
Her firm hand on Olivia's arm, her bracing words in Olivia's ear, putcourage back into her temporarily stage-struck "leading man," and Oliviareturned to the charge determined to play up to her teacher withoutlagging. In truth, Roberta's actual presence on the stage was proving adistinct advantage to those of the players who had parts with her. Shewarmed and held them
to their tasks with the flash of her own eyes, notto mention an occasional almost imperceptible but pregnant gesture, andthey found themselves somehow able to "forget the audience," as she hadso many times advised them to do, the better that she herself seemed socompletely to have forgotten it.
The work of the young actors grew better with each act, and at the endof the fourth, when the curtain went down upon a scene which had beenall storm on the part of the players and all laughter on the part of theaudience, the applause was long and hearty. There were calls for theentire cast, and when they had several times responded there was aspecial and persistent demand for _Katherine_ herself, in the characterof the producer of the play. She refused it until she could no longer doso without discourtesy; then she came before the curtain and said a fewwinsome words of gratitude on behalf of her "company."
Ruth, staring up at her sister's face brilliant with the mingledexertion and emotion of the hour, and thinking her the prettiest picturethere against the great dull-blue silk curtain of the stage she had everseen, had no notion that just behind her somebody was thinking the samething with a degree of fervour far beyond her own. Richard Kendrick'sheart was thumping vigorously away in his breast as he looked his fillat the figure before the curtain, secure in the darkness of the housefrom observation at the moment.
When he had first met this girl he had told himself that he would soonknow her well, would soon call her by her name. He wondered at himselfthat he could possibly have fancied conquest of her so easy. He was nota whit nearer knowing her, he was obliged to acknowledge, than on thatfirst day, nor did he see any prospect of getting to know her--beyond acertain point. Her chosen occupation seemed to place her beyond hisreach; she was not to be got at by the ordinary methods of approach.Twice he had called and asked for her, to be told that she was busy withschool papers and must be excused. Once he had ventured to invite her togo with Mrs. Stephen and himself to a carefully chosen play and asupper, but she had declined, gracefully enough--but she had declined,and Mrs. Stephen also. He could not make these people out, he toldhimself. Did they and he live in such different worlds that they couldnever meet on common ground?
_The Taming of the Shrew_ came to a triumphant end; the curtain fellupon the effective closing scene in which the lovely _Shrew_, become arichly loving and tender wife, without, somehow, surrendering a particleof her exquisite individuality, spoke her words of wisdom to otherwives. Richard smiled to himself as he heard the lines fall fromRoberta's lips. And beneath his breath he said:
"I don't see how you can bring yourself to say them, you modern girl.You'd never let a real husband feel his power that way, I'll wager. Ifyou did--well--it would go to his head, I'm sure of that. What an idiotI am to think I could ever make her look at me the way she looked evenat that schoolgirl _Petruchio_--with a clever imitation of devotion. ORoberta Gray! But I'd rather worship you across the footlights than takeany other girl in my arms. And somehow--somehow I've got to make you atleast respect me. At least that, Roberta! Then--perhaps--more!"
At Ruth's side, when the play was ended, Richard hoped to attain atleast the chance to speak to Ruth's sister. The young players allappeared upon the stage, the curtain being raised for the rest of theevening, and the audience came up, group by group, to offercongratulations and pour into gratified ears the praise which was thereward of labour. Richard succeeded in getting by degrees into theimmediate vicinity of Roberta, who was continuously surrounded by happyparents bent on presenting their felicitations. But just as he was aboutto make his way to her side a diversion occurred which took hercompletely away from him. A girl near by, who on account of physicalfrailty had had a minor part, grew suddenly faint, and in a triceRoberta had impressed into her service a strong pair of male arms,nearer at hand than Richard's, and had had the slim little figurecarried behind the scenes, herself following.
Ten minutes later he learned from Ruth that Roberta had gone back toMiss Copeland's school with the girl, recovered but weak.
"Couldn't anybody else have gone?" he inquired, considerable impatiencein his voice.
"Of course--lots of people could, and would. Only it's just like Rob toseize the chance to get away from this, and not come back. You'llsee--she won't. She hates being patted on the back, as she calls it. Inever can see why, when people mean it, as I'm sure they do to-night.She's the queerest girl. She never wants what you'd think she would, orwants it the way other people do. But she's awfully dear, just thesame," Ruth hastened to add, fearful lest she seem to criticise thebeloved sister. "And somehow you don't get tired of her, the way you doof some people. Perhaps that's just because she's different."
"I suspect it is," Richard agreed with conviction. Certainly, a girl whowould run away from such adulation as she had been receiving must be, heconsidered, decidedly and interestingly "different." He only wished hemight hit upon some "different" way to pique her interest.
The Twenty-Fourth of June: Midsummer's Day Page 11
