CHAPTER XI
A DARK HORSE DEFINED
"Did you see Mr. Masters in chapel this morning with Miss Kingston?"
This was the choice tid-bit of news that 19-- passed from hand to handas it took its way to its various nine o'clock classes.
"I thought he wasn't coming until to-morrow," said Teddie Wilson, whofollowed every move of the play committee with mournful interest.
"He wasn't," explained Barbara Gordon, "but he found he could get offbetter to-day. It's only for the Shylocks and Portias, you know. Wecan't do much until they're definitely decided, so we can tell who isleft for the other parts."
"Gratiano and the Gobbos will come in the next lot," sighed Teddie."Seems as if I should die to be out of it all!"
Jean Eastman was just ahead of them in the crowd. "Poor Teddie!" Barbarabegan, "I only wish---" She broke off abruptly. She didn't want Jeanfor Shylock, but it would have been the height of impropriety to leteven Teddie, whose misfortunes made her a privileged person, know it."It's a perfect shame," she went on hastily. "You don't feel half so badabout it as we do."
Ted stared incredulously. "Don't I? I say, Barbara, did you know therewas a girl in last year's cast who had had a condition at midyears? Shekept still and somehow it wasn't reported to Miss Stuart until verylate, and by that time it would have made a lot of trouble to take herout. So they hushed it up and she kept her part. A last year's girlwrote me about it."
"I don't believe she had much fun out of it, do you, Ted?" askedBarbara. "Anyhow I'm sure you--"
"Oh, of course not," interrupted Ted with emphasis.
"What in the world are you two talking about?" demanded Jean Eastmancuriously, dropping back to join them.
"Talking play of course!" laughed Barbara, trying to be extra cordialbecause she had so nearly said a disagreeable thing a minute before.
Meanwhile Ted, who felt that she should break the tenth commandment toatoms if she stayed in Jean's neighborhood another minute, slipped offdown a side hall and joined a group of her classmates who were boundlike herself for Miss Raymond's English novelists. They were talkingplay too, of course,--it was in the air this morning,--and they welcomedTed joyously and deferred to her opinion as that of an expert.
"Who'll be Shylock, Teddie?" demanded Bob Parker. "That's the only thingI'm curious about."
"Jean," returned Ted calmly, "or at least the committee think so. I cantell by the way Barbara looks at her."
"Beastly shame," muttered Bob. "Why couldn't Emily and Christy havebraced up and got it themselves?"
"Now, Bob," Nita Reese remonstrated, "don't you think you're a bit hardon Jean this time? I know she's a good deal of a land-grabber, but nowshe's gone into an open competition just like any one else, and if shewins it will be because she deserves to."
"Ye-es," admitted Bob grudgingly. "Yes, of course it will. I know thatas well as you do, Nita Reese. Just the same she's never any good inGest and Pant, is she, Teddie?"
"In what?" demanded Helen Adams and Clara Madison together.
"Gest and Pant--short for Gesture and Pantomime, senior course inelocution," explained Teddie rapidly. "Oh, I don't know. I think she'sdone some pretty good things once in a while. And anyhow she can't foolthe committee and Mr. Masters."
"Of course not," agreed Bob.
"Just the same," said Madeline Ayres, who had come up in time to hearthe end of the argument, "we'll stand for her if she gets the part, butuntil she does we can hope against hope for a dark horse, can't we,Bob?"
"What's a dark horse?" asked Clara Madison in her funny, slow drawl.
"Your vocabulary's getting a big increase this morning, isn't it,Clara?" said Madeline quizzically. "Gest and Pant, short for Gesture andPantomime; dark horse, short for a person like---- Girls, run in,quick. She's begun calling the roll."
It was a long morning. The committee watched its hours go bycomplacently enough. They had heard Jean again and liked her better; andthe two girls who were to compete with her had improved, too, on secondtrial. There was no doubt that the Portias were good. They were alsonervous. Kate Denise didn't even pretend to "Take notes, young ladies,"though Dr. Hinsdale looked straight at her when he said it, and BabbieHildreth made herself the butt of endless jibes by absent-mindedlymentioning Nerissa instead of Napoleon in History 10. Jean, on the otherhand, was as cool as possible. She sat beside Teddie Wilson inphilosophy, much to the annoyance of that unhappy young person, andadded insult to injury by trying to discuss the play. Teddie was asunresponsive as she thought consistent with the duty of being lady-like,but Jean didn't seem to mind, for she went off to lunch smiling asatisfied, triumphant little smile that seemed to say she had gottenjust what she wanted out of Teddie.
At two o'clock Mr. Masters and Miss Kingston met the play committee inMiss Kingston's office, and the Shylock trials began. At ten minutesbefore three the great Mr. Masters appeared in the door of the officeand tossing a careless "Back at four-thirty sharp" over his shoulder,ran down the stairs as lightly as though he were not leaving riot andruin behind him. A minute later Barbara Gordon came to the door andexplained to the Portias who were waiting to come on at three, that ithad been found necessary to delay their appearance until evening.Barbara always looked calm and unruffled under the most tryingcircumstances, but she shut the door unnecessarily hard and the Portiasexchanged amazed glances.
"Something's happened," declared Babe, sagely.
"'Oh, wise young judge!'" quoted Nita. "Why don't you tell us what itis?"
"I must go if we have to come back this evening," said Kate Denise, andhurried off to find Jean, who had promised to meet her in the library.
Kate understood Jean very well and often disapproved of her, but she hadknown her a long time and was genuinely fond of her and anxious for hersuccess. Jean had complained of a headache at luncheon and seemednervous and absent-minded. Kate wondered if she could possibly havebroken down and spoiled her chance with Mr. Masters, thus disarrangingthe committee's plans.
But Jean scoffed at this idea. "I did my best," she declared, "and hewas awfully nice. You'll like him, Katie. I suppose he had anengagement, or was tired and wanted to go off somewhere and smoke. Hegets up plays all the time, you know. It must be horribly boring."
Meanwhile Miss Kingston and the play committee sat in mournful conclave.Nobody had much to say. Clara Ellis looked "I told you so" at the rest,and the rest looked back astonishment, dismay and annoyance at Clara.
"Is he generally so--so decided and, well,--so quick to make up hismind?" asked Betty, finally.
Miss Kingston laughed at Betty's carefully chosen adjectives and shookher head. "He's generally very patient and encouraging, but to-daysomething seems to have spoiled his temper. I don't believe, though,that his irritability has affected his judgment. I agree perfectly withwhat he said about Miss Eastman."
"Yes," agreed Barbara, "he put into words what we all felt when we firstheard her. Afterward we wanted so much to think she was good that weactually cheated ourselves into thinking so."
"Do tell me what happened," begged Rachel Morrison. She had been kept athome by a belligerent sophomore who insisted upon being tutored at herregular hour, and had arrived only just in time for Mr. Masters'sdramatic exit.
"Why, he was perfectly calm while the Shylocks were performing,"explained Barbara. "We had Jean come last because we thought that wouldgive them all the best chance. He smiled blandly while she was goingthrough her part and bowed her out as if she had been a second Booth.Then he sat back and looked at me and said 'Well?' and I said, 'Do youlike her best, Mr. Masters?' He glared at me for a minute and then beganto talk about the seriousness of giving a Shakespearean play and theconfidence he'd felt in us to advise us to give this one, and thereasons why none of the girls he'd heard would do at all for Shylock.When he was through he just picked up his hat and coat and told us to goand get the other girls who tried, as he'd be ready to see them athalf-past four. After that he apologized to Miss Kingston if he'd been'in the least
abrupt'--and went."
"And what are we to do now?" demanded Clara, wearily.
"Get them--the forlorn hopes, as he called them," said Barbara,determined to be cheerful, "and hope that we shall be happilydisappointed in them. Somebody's got to be Shylock, you know. Betty,will you go for these three girls on Main Street?" She handed Betty aslip of paper. "Clara, will you try to find Emily Davis? Rachel, youlook tired to death. Go home and rest. Josephine and I can manage thecampus people."
"There's no use in your getting the Miller girls," said Clara,decisively. "One lisps and the other stammers."
"That's true," agreed Barbara, cheerily. "We'll leave them out, andKitty Lacy has gone home ill. I wish we could think of some promisingpeople who haven't tried at all. Eleanor Watson used to act verycleverly. Betty, do you suppose she would be willing to come and readthe part?"
Betty shook her head. "I don't think she would take a part under anycircumstances, but certainly not if she had to compete with Jean.They're such old friends."
"How about Madeline Ayres?"
"She's set her heart on being the Prince of Morocco," laughed Betty,"because she wants to be blackened up. Anyway I don't think--"
"No, I don't either, Betty," interposed Miss Kingston. "Miss Ayrescouldn't do a part like Shylock."
"Then I don't believe there is any one else who didn't try before," saidBarbara. "We must just hope for the best, that's all."
Betty had opened the door preparatory to starting on her rounds when shehappened to remember Roberta and her exaggerated disappointment overmissing the last week's trials.
"Barbara," she began timidly, closing the door again, "I know some onewho intended to try but she was sick with the grippe and couldn't. It'sRoberta Lewis. She told me not to speak of her having wanted to try, butI don't see why she shouldn't have a chance now, do you? She couldn't beworse than some of them."
"She certainly couldn't," laughed Barbara.
"She did awfully well in that little girl play you had," said ClaraEllis, condescending to show a little real interest in the question atissue. "Did you see it, Miss Kingston?"
Miss Kingston hadn't seen "The Little Princess" and didn't know Roberta;but she agreed that there was no reason why any girl who was willing totake it shouldn't have a chance to show what she could do towardsatisfying Mr. Masters.
"But it isn't that I think she will do particularly well," Bettyexplained, honestly. "Only I was sorry for her because she seemed tocare such a lot. Shall I stop and ask her on my way?"
Barbara said yes and Betty hurried over to the Belden. Roberta was out,but a neat sign pinned to her door promised that she would be "Back in afew minutes," so Betty scribbled a hasty note to explain matters andhurried off again. She had not much idea that Roberta would care to tryfor Shylock now, but she was glad she had thought of giving her thechance. Roberta was so quiet and self-contained and so seldom expresseda wish or a preference that it was worth while taking a little troubleto please her.
"Even if there isn't much sense in what she wants," thought Betty, asshe tramped up Main Street.
The Main Street Shylocks all lived in the same house and not one of themwas in. Betty pursued them back to the campus, caught one at the libraryand another in chemistry "lab.," and followed the third down town whereshe was discovered going into Cuyler's for an ice. As this last captivehappened to be the most promising Shylock, next to the ones that Mr.Masters had already seen, Betty led her back to the campus in triumph,too thankful at having her safe to notice that it was fully a quarter tofive before they reached college hall.
Roberta was sitting by herself on a low window-seat near Miss Kingston'sdoor. She looked pale and frightened and hardly smiled in answer toBetty's gay little nod and wave of the hand.
"Goodness, I hope she'll do decently," thought Betty, and was openingthe door as softly as possible when somebody gave it a quick push fromthe other side. It was the great Mr. Masters coming out again.
"Oh, Miss Lewis," he called over to Roberta, "have you learned thePortia scenes too? I forgot to ask you. Well, suppose you come over andread them to-night. We should all like to hear you."
Betty stared in amazement; so did the Shylocks who crowded the stairsand windowledges. There was no mistaking the fact that this time thegreat Mr. Masters was genuinely pleased. He held the door open for Bettyto pass into the office, assured Roberta once more that he should expectto see her in the evening, and went inside himself, leaving a buzz ofexcitement behind him and meeting a similar buzz that hushed politely ashe came forward.
"Well, Miss Kingston," he said, rubbing his hands together with an airof supreme satisfaction, "we've found our Shylock. I'm glad you let herin first this time. I was really getting worried. May I ask why youyoung ladies kept her up your sleeves so long?"
Barbara explained.
"But you must have known about her," Mr. Masters persisted. "Why, she'smarvelous. She'd save your play for you, single-handed. Hasn't she takenpart in any of your college performances?"
Barbara explained about that too.
"Then how did she happen to come to light at all?" he demanded.
This time Barbara looked at Betty, who blushed and murmured, "I didn'tsuppose she could act very much. I really didn't."
Mr. Masters laughed heartily at this. "Well, she seems to be a thoroughmystery," he said. "And now the only question is where we need her most,in case I don't like your first choice in Portias any better than I didyour Shylocks. We ought to have these other people in, I suppose. Ofcourse there's no question about Miss Lewis, but we'd better know whatthey can all do, especially if there are any more of Miss Wales's darkhorses among them."
"WELL, WE'VE FOUND OUR SHYLOCK," HE SAID.]
By dinner time the astonishing news had spread over the campus. RobertaLewis was going to be Shylock. She hadn't been in but one play since sheentered college and then she took somebody's place. Nobody had thoughtshe would get it. Nobody knew she could act except Betty Wales. Bettyfound out about her somehow--she was always finding out what peoplecould do,--and she got her in at the last minute because Mr. Mastersdidn't like Jean's acting,--or somebody didn't. Roberta's wasmagnificent. They wanted her for Portia too. Mr. Masters had said it wasa great pity there weren't two of her. How did she take it? Why, sheacted shy and bored and distant, just as usual. She seemed to haveexpected to be Shylock!
But she wasn't "just as usual." She was sitting by her window in thedark, with Mary Brooks's picture clutched tightly in one hand and herfather's in the other, and she was whispering soft little messages tothem.
"Dear old daddy, you were in all the fraternities and societies, and onall the college papers and the 'varsity eight. Well, I'm on one thingnow. You'll have one little chance to be proud of me, perhaps, after allthese four years.
"Now, Mary Brooks, do you see what I can do? I couldn't write and Icouldn't be popular or prominent or a 'star' in any of the classes. I'mnot that kind. But after all I shall be something but just one of theClan before I leave.
"Oh, I wonder if Mary and father would like to sit together at theplay."
While Roberta was considering the probability that they would, Bettyknocked her soft little knock on the door. Roberta always knew Betty'sknock.
"Come," she called in a queer, trembly voice. How was she ever going tothank Betty for seeing what no one else saw, and helping her to stick toit and get her chance in a nice quiet way that wouldn't make her feelawkward if she failed?
But Betty didn't give her time to open her mouth. "You dear old thing!"she cried. "Oh, I am so happy! I never thought you'd get it. Honestly, Ididn't. I just thought you might as well try. Roberta, you ought tohear the things Mr. Masters has been saying about you."
Roberta laughed happily. "It's nice, isn't it?" she said. "Didn't youthink I could get a part? You were the one who told me I ought to try."
"Yes," said Betty solemnly, "I thought you'd get one of the Salsprobably--you know the ones I mean,--Solanio, and the others that soundlike
him. We call them the Sals for short, I never dreamed of your beingShylock, any more than I planned for you to be Ermengarde. You did itevery bit yourself, Roberta Lewis, by just happening to come around atthe right times."
"And by coming to the right person," added Roberta.
But Betty only laughed at her. "It's bad enough to be blamed for thingsyou've done," she said. "I simply won't be praised for things I haven'tdone. I never was so pleased in my life. Roberta, Miss Kingston saysyou're a genius. To think of my knowing a genius! I must go and tellHelen Chase Adams."
Down-stairs Madeline was telephoning to Clara Madison, who, owing to herstrong prejudice against bed-making, still lived off the campus. "A darkhorse," she explained, "is a person like Roberta Lewis. I didn't havetime to tell you this morning. Good-b----Oh! haven't you heard? She'sgoing to be Shylock. No, the committee haven't announced it yet, but Mr.Masters shouted it aloud in the corridor at college hall. Don't forgetwhat a dark horse is, Clara."
The B's, innocently supposing that Roberta was out because her windowswere dark, were celebrating in Nita's room, while they awaited herreturn. This meant that Babbie was doing a cake-walk with an imaginarypartner, Babe a clog-dance, and Bob a highland fling, while Nita huggedher tallest vase and her prettiest teacup and besought them to stopbefore Mrs. Kent came to see who was tearing the house down.
Bob stopped first, though not on account of Nita's bric-a-brac or apossible visit from Mrs. Kent.
"Nita," she demanded breathlessly, "did you say Betty thought ofRoberta?"
"Yes," Nita assented. "Nobody else on the committee knows her at allexcept Rachel, and she is as surprised as the rest of us."
"Gee!" Bob's tone was deep with meaning. "Then I know who won't likeit."
"Who?" Babe ended her dance to ask.
"Jean Eastman," said Bob solemnly.
Babe gave her a disdainful glance. "How much brains do you think ittakes to find that out, Bob Parker? Of course she won't like it."
But Bob only smiled loftily and declared that if Roberta hadn't come inby this time they must all go straight home to dinner.
Betty Wales, Senior Page 12
