"Where did you find it?" she asked.
"Down behind the wall, where I saw somebody drop it," he said, looking sharply at Arabella.
Of course they all looked at Arabella, who hesitated for a moment, then pushing past the girls, she ran down the walk to the gate, looking over her shoulder to call to Aunt Charlotte:
"I"ve got to go home, "cause my head aches."
"I wonder what Aunt Charlotte will do about the book?" whispered Mollie.
"Why, what _could_ she do?" Flossie asked in surprise.
"Why, Flossie Barnet! You saw the cover all spoiled. Don"t you s"pose she"ll--"
But Mollie"s question was hushed by the silvery tinkle of the bell which told that recess was over.
Arabella did not return for the afternoon rehearsal, but she entered the cla.s.s-room on the next morning as calmly as if nothing had happened, and she seemed very eager to show her interest in the dialogue by appearing at all the other rehearsals.
Exhibition day had arrived, and parents and friends were seated before the tiny stage, waiting for the curtain to rise.
Dorothy had sung two songs very sweetly, Nancy had danced for them, and had charmed them with her grace, Nina and Jeanette had played a duet, and now, yes, the curtain was rising!
Every one leaned forward to catch the first glimpse of the stage-setting, and in the midst of the excitement, a small, prim figure entered the room, and made its way toward the only seat which was still unoccupied. It was beside Flossie"s Uncle Harry, and as the woman took the seat he turned, and then moved to make extra room for her.
"That _must_ be Arabella"s Aunt Matilda!" he whispered to his wife.
"Hush-sh-sh!" she whispered.
"It not only _must_ be, but it _is_!" he declared, and he offered her his programme.
Aunt Matilda was not wholly pleased with his courtesy, and had half a mind to refuse it, but few could resist his winning smile, and reluctantly she kept it.
"Aunt Matilda looks as if she were angry because she is not included in the dialogue," whispered Uncle Harry, to which his lovely young wife replied:
"She"ll hear you, if you aren"t careful; now _do_ give your attention to the stage."
"I"m simply _all_ ears," he whispered, and at that moment, the children ran on, entering from either side.
The pretty scene represented a little grove, in which the school girls had gathered to summon the queen of the fairies, who might grant the dearest wish of each.
The first fairy to appear was Green Feather, an elfin page or messenger, and Reginald made a perfect sprite, in his green suit, and cap with a long, green quill.
He took the message which the girls wished to send to the queen, and then hurried away to summon her, while the school girls chanted a magic verse which should aid her to appear quickly.
"Fairy queen, we wait for thee, Willing subjects we will be.
Come! Thou"lt find us at thy feet, We would beg, ay, and entreat That our wishes thou wilt hear, When thou dost indeed appear.
Now we draw a magic ring, "Come, fair queen," we gaily sing."
With a silver-tipped wand they drew a circle upon the ground, and scarcely was it finished when Jeanette ran out from between the mimic trees, and sprang into the circle, a dazzling figure, all white and silver, and blue. Upon her long, dark hair rested a tiny gold crown, and in her hand she carried a gold wand which was wound with strings of pearls.
"Thou, with voice so silvery clear, I your dearest wish will hear."
As Jeanette spoke the lines she held her wand above Dorothy"s head.
"Song! Ah, let me always sing For the peasant, or the king, For the ones I hold most dear, For all hearts that I may cheer,"
sang Dorothy, in her clear, light little treble, and very winning she looked, as she extended her hand toward the fairy whom she implored to grant her wish.
"Sing you shall, in tones so clear That the very birds shall hear, And, in envy, cease their lay While your melody holds sway."
As Jeanette chanted the verse, she waved her wand, and Dorothy, entering the circle beside her, sang a fairy song which delighted all who listened.
The woman beside Uncle Harry seemed ill at ease, crumpling her programme, and moving restlessly upon her seat as if the little play bored her.
Uncle Harry stooped, and picked up the fan which had dropped from her lap. She looked at him as if she thought that he had intended to steal it, then, relenting, she screwed her thin lips into something like a smile.
"Thank ye," she said, as she took the fan, and glanced at his pleasant face.
Uncle Harry wished that she would speak again.
"I wish she"d give us some of her "_views_,"" he whispered to his wife, "Arabella says she has plenty of them."
"Oh, Harry, hush, unless you want her to hear you."
"I wouldn"t mind," he whispered, his blue eyes twinkling with merriment.
Just at that moment, the fairy queen seated herself upon her woodland throne, and as the girls knelt before her, the red curtain rolled slowly down, hiding the little stage.
The first act was finished, and now, in the few moments before the curtain would rise, the buzz of voices whispered approval of the pretty play.
Arabella"s prim little aunt looked furtively toward her neighbor. He smiled encouragingly, and she ventured to speak.
She was a little old lady and he was tall and stalwart; his handsome face was youthful, and she wished him to know that she thought him a mere boy.
"Young man, do you approve of this play-acting?" she asked.
"Oh, surely," he replied. "Who would care to see professionals, if he might, instead, see children _trying_ to act?"
She eyed him sharply to learn if he were joking, but his manner was so dignified that she did not dream that he was amused.
"Well, I think if we had these exhibitions often the children would grow to be just too pert for anything. I have my views about play-acting, and as my niece is a pupil here, I"m just a little anxious about how this school is run. Have you any small sisters here?" she asked.
His eyes were dancing.
"I"ve no small sisters," he said, "and as my little daughter is but nine months old, I"ve not yet sent her to school."
"Your daughter? Well, I declare! Why, I thought you were an overgrown boy!" she said, bluntly.