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Kansas University Weekly.
"Well, I hope you will try and do better tomorrow," said Mr. Sedgewick, turning to Dorothy.
That evening was stormy and the party indulged in all sorts of child's games as, "spin the plate" and "going to Jerusalem." Miss Carter was unusually gay and animated and some of the young men who been had at first slightly repelled by her reserved manner began to find her very attractive. They danced afterward and she was in constant demand. Walter Holland sat in a a corner looking very gloomy and didn't dance at all, while Dorothy seemed to be having the best kind of a time.
Early the next morning some of the girls were together working on their costumes and the conversation turned to Dorothy and Walter and many were the surmises as to the cause of this indifference.
"Why, you remember how delighted Dorothy was to be asked to be Rosamond? Well, what do you think! she asked Mrs. Wentworth if she wouldn't ask some one else to take her place, she didn't care to keep it."
"Really!" "Honestly!" "Is it a fact!" were the answers in a chorus full of surprise. "How awfully queer! I wonder if she is well, she is as pale as a sheet this morning."
"I guess she must have taken a strong dislike to Walter Holland—and of course if she hated a man no girl could endure all that "lovering," while if she—"
The rest of her speech was drowned in a peal of laughter as the girls hurried off to the rehearsal appointed for two o'clock.
Dorothy was late and when she did come, she was pale and had a queer smile in her eyes. Things went a little better and in the middle, after a scene in which she did not appear, she was not to be found and they had to finish as best they could without her.
It was now Wednesday; that night was the time set for the great event. Mrs. Wentworth was worried and uneasy, for hitherto it had been her pride that her entertainments were unusually good; but this year it was to be a dismal failure. She even thought of inventing
an excuse, withdrawing her invitations and giving up the whole affair. But the young people begged hard and went to Walter and Dorothy and pleaded with them to make an extra effort.
"You can do so well if only you will! we would leave you alone if we didn't know that you could do so much better, and everything depends on you two."
Mrs. Wentworth joined them and urged that they two spend the afternoon practicing their special parts by themselves. She seemed so very anxious that sensitive Dorothy thought she was hurting her hostess' feelings and wearing out her welcome, so, though very unwillingly she promised to try to induce Walter Holland to spend the afternoon as requested.
After dinner she found him and said: "Mr. Holland, Mrs. Wentworth has made me feel that it is a personal slight to her for us not to do better. I can see that she has great pride in her reputation and I am willing to try to please her. She insists that we rehearse together this afternoon. She is so very anxious that I promised to 'try to induce you.' Of course you can endure it if I can so lets begin quickly."
During this speech Walter several times opened his to speak but each time changed his mind and said nothing. When she had finished he said simply, "All right," and they started for the ball room where the play was to be presented. Dorothy walked ahead rather haughtily and Walter followed looking miserable and somewhat puzzled. He opened the door for her, she passed in and walked silently to the stage, while he slipped the latch quietly, then drawing himself up, he walked briskly towards her, took both her hands in his and held them closely.
"Now Dorothy, look here, its foolish for us to act so; if you will tell me what the matter is and let me explain, then we can rehearse this business and can do it well. No, don't speak yet, I am not through—you know I love you, I told you so the other day—you said you loved me—now what is the use of going back on your