She walked on toward the door, closed it after her and left Claudia staring.
Just then Winnie came up. Claudia repeated her conversation with Joanne. The worried look left Winnie’s face. “Trust Jo,” she said. “I’ll bet you anything that she has some scheme in her noddle and that it will work. Just you wait and see.”
The two girls hung around the door till, in a few minutes, they saw Miss Dodge come out, a smile upon her face, her arm around Joanne. “This dear child has saved the day,” said Miss Dodge. “I was desperate when she came in.”
“What did you do, Jo?” cried the other two girls.
“I called up Bob Marriott. I was awfully afraid he had left. He is staying with the Barrys at Chevy Chase, you know, but they have a car and hadn’t started. I explained the situation and begged Bob to bring his violin. He plays really wonderfully well, and he said he would do it. I asked him to wear his Boy Scout uniform, for I thought that would make an appeal to the audience, so he will be along directly and we can go on with the programme all right.”
“He won’t be able to play the numbers on the programme, perhaps,” said Miss Dodge, “but we’ll get some one to announce them, and I think Miss Chesney is equal to playing his accompaniments. Get to your places, girls, for the curtain must go up.”
The girls hurried to the stage and when the curtain was raised it disclosed a row of green-clad maidens, and at each end of the row, like a blossom, was a girl in pink and white. They were greeted by cordial applause and the spring chorus began. Joanne, a little nervous, kept watching for Bob’s arrival, but she was not disappointed, for she saw him off in the wings before the last note of the chorus ended. While he was conferring with Miss Chesney over the music he had brought, Miss Dodge made a little speech of explanation, but no one appeared to be greatly chagrined when, instead of the expected performer, a slender lad in khaki appeared. A great clapping of hands welcomed him and he responded so well that even greater applause was given him at the end of his number. He gave Joanne a flashing smile as he passed her on his way off stage, while she, flushed and pleased, wondered what would come next, since the programme must be entirely altered.
Her surprise was great when Miss Dodge again came forward to say: “I am sure you will all be gratified when I tell you that Madame Risteau, whom many of you have heard, has most generously offered to sing for us this evening. It is an unexpected treat for all of us, and I am sure that none of you will go away regretting the substitute of vocal numbers for those originally intended to be given by the violinist.”
“Madame Risteau!” whispered Joanne looking at Winnie, who sat next her. Winnie responded with the same puzzled expression, but Joanne’s wonder gave place to absolute amazement when who should walk out upon the stage but Mrs. Marriott!
While the beautiful voice rang out clear and true, Joanne sat in a sort of daze. It was Mrs. Marriott; it must be, yet and yet, it was Madame Risteau. How could she be two persons, or how could two persons look so exactly alike? She had not solved the problem even when the singer, in passing, gave her a brilliant and intimate smile. Again and again was she called to the front of the stage, receiving a perfect ovation. Then Bob came with his violin. Again a cycle of song and at last a concluding chorus. The concert was over.