“Ollie will be crazier than ever about you when he sees you in that gown,” Kitty teased.
Doris’s response was a grunt of disgust and a slipper hurled with unerring accuracy.
She was indeed a picture in her Alice blue frock which accentuated her beauty, and her high heeled slippers added a full inch to her height.
“Wear the ruby ring the twins gave you!” Kitty pleaded.
When the girls and Mrs. Mallow entered the dining room some time later, their appearance caused many of the diners to glance up in admiration. Particularly did heads turn to look at Doris, for she was very lovely.
The three seated themselves at a table in an inconspicuous corner of the room, the girls casting an apprehensive glance about them. They were relieved that Ollie Weiser had not as yet put in his appearance.
The dinner was not of the best and Mrs. Mallow (expressed her impatience.
“If we could secure rooms at another hotel I certainly should be tempted to change,” she announced, as they left the dining room. “I’d like to show that chef a thing or two about cooking!”
Already a group of hotel guests had gathered in the parlor, where the evening’s entertainment was to be given. Mrs. Mallow and the girls reluctantly turned their steps in that direction.
“I hope it doesn’t last long,” Mrs. Mallow said with a tired sigh. “I’ve had quite enough of snakes.”
“Madame Curly is to sing,” Doris told her. “I am sure you will enjoy hearing her, even if Ollie Weiser is a bore. She’s quite noted.”
Nearly all of the seats in the parlor were taken, and as they entered, the three paused uncertainly. While they were looking about for vacant chairs, Ollie Weiser rushed over to them.
“Miss Force,” he began, laboring under great excitement, “a terrible thing has happened! Madame Curly has not arrived and the entertainment must start in ten minutes. We must find a substitute. Will you not take her place?”
“Why, how did you learn that I sing?” Doris asked in astonishment.
“I’m afraid I told him,” Kitty confessed. “I just happened to mention it on the train.”
“Really, I don’t know what to say,” Doris stammered.
“It is a wonderful opportunity,” the magician urged.
“But Madame Curly is a professional singer, while I am only an amateur. The audience will be too critical.”
At this moment the manager stepped up and added his plea to that of the magician. As Doris wavered, Mrs. Mallow said quietly:
“Why not do it, if you feel that you can? This will be a real test of your ability.”
Doris cast a troubled glance over the audience, which she knew was composed largely of society folk. She realized that she was not being asked to do an easy thing. Yet the challenge of it appealed to her.
“I’ll do it!” she announced.
CHAPTER X
Doris’s Debut
The moment Doris gave her promise to substitute for Madame Curly she was assailed with misgivings. She had brought no music with her and was forced to make her selection from the numbers which Miss Wesley, the accompanist, had at the hotel.
“I’m afraid I’ll make a flop of it,” she confided nervously to Kitty. “A poor accompanist can just ruin a piece and we haven’t practised together.”
She sat tensely, waiting for the program to begin, yet dreading the moment when she would be called. At last, after every seat in the parlor had been taken, the manager arose and explained that Madame Curly would be unable to appear. A murmur of disappointment passed over the crowd and Doris felt her spirits sink lower. She did not realize that her own name had been spoken until Kitty nudged her.
Doris forced a smile to her lips and took her place beside the piano. As from a far distance she heard Miss Wesley plunge into the opening measures of the song. She began to sing, and then, as she gained confidence in her accompanist, forgot to be afraid. She lost sight of the fact that she was appearing before a critical audience, and lost herself in the music.
As the last note of the piano died away, there was a moment of silence; then thunderous applause burst forth. Doris offered another selection and would have slipped back to her seat, had the crowd permitted her to do so. She was called back for two encores.
“You covered yourself with glory, old dear!” Kitty whispered in delight, as her chum finally returned to her friends.
Ollie Weiser’s demonstration of magic followed, but the audience became restless and a great many persons wandered away. Since Doris felt that she owed her opportunity to the magician, she remained out of sheer politeness, as did Kitty and Mrs. Mallow.
Everyone was relieved when the man left the floor and the chairs were cleared away for dancing.
“I wish we could escape to our rooms,” Doris said.
There was no hope of it, for just then the magician came over to the girls, his face aglow with pleasure.
“I’ve just put the snakes to bed,” he declared, “so now I’m free to devote myself to you girls for the rest of the evening.”
“Really, I’m dreadfully tired,” Doris protested. “I don’t feel like dancing.”
“But you promised,” the magician said accusingly. “You’re not going back on your word?”
“Oh, I suppose I can dance if you insist.”
As Ollie whirled her about on the floor, Doris was forced to admit that he was an excellent dancer. Yet she could not help but wish that she were with Dave instead. She scarcely listened to his extravagant praise of her singing and was relieved when the dance ended. Kitty was forced to take her turn, but after one dance she, too, refused to remain in the parlor longer, pleading fatigue.
“Seems to me you girls get tired mighty easy,” Ollie grumbled. “Oh, well, I’ll be seeing you again.”
“You’re not staying here at the hotel?” Kitty demanded in dismay.
“Sure, the manager let me have a room over the kitchen.” The magician was nothing if not frank. “It’s a miserable dump, but as long as I’m not paying for it, I guess I shouldn’t kick. Sort of like this town. Think I’ll stick around for a week or two.”
Doris and Kitty exchanged significant glances. They felt certain that Ollie Weiser was remaining on their account and tljey were at a loss to know just how to discourage his attentions. What a pest he was!
The man was unwilling that they should leave, and as Doris said goodnight, caught her by the hand and tried to hold her back.
“Can’t you be a bit nicer to me?” he begged. “You’d like me, if you’d give me a chance to become better acquainted.”
“It seems to me you’re making the most of your opportunities!” Doris retorted.
She and Kitty hurried away, breathing a sigh of relief when they had reached their own room.
“That man annoys me beyond words,” Doris snapped. She began to undress rapidly.
“Anyhow, he’s a good dancer,” Kitty offered. “I can almost forgive anything else in that kind of a person.”
“I’m afraid I’m not as charitable as you are,” Doris went on. “If my future dancing depended upon Ollie Weiser, I’d give up the fun of it altogether. You better hurry and get into bed, young lady.”
“I