"It was good of her, and you are dazzling," said Lee. "I declare, Janet, you will outshine us all. But then you ought, being a princess. The king will have reason to be proud of his daughter. He has a beautiful canton-flannel robe made from his red portières, and he spent half the night in gilding his crown and sceptre. By the way, Janet, send over your fur rug in the morning; we shall want all the rugs we can get for the dais and the throne. Cordelia has thought of some fine local hits. She evolved them in bed this morning, and the minstrel is going to get them off. I wish you could see his lute. Isn't it fine to have some one in the class who can sing as well as Pen does?"
"I do hope it will all turn out well," said Janet. "I am getting a trifle anxious about my part."
"Oh, you needn't worry," Lee assured her; "you are all right, and I don't believe I shall have stage fright, but if Grace gets to laughing and forgets her stride, or if Nettie should happen to get her words hind part before, it would be fatal. I really think we should have given Nettie something easier," Lee added teasingly. "It would simply stop the whole performance if she were to announce 'without is the knight,' instead of 'the knight is without,' or if she should say: 'Your Majesty, a minstrel begs admittance, instead of a minstrel craves entrance, Your Majesty.' It actually makes my heart stand still when I think of such a catastrophe as that."
"Oh, do stop your teasing, Lee," said Cordelia. "I have my doubts about the wearing quality of this stuff; it is so thin it looks to me as if it might give out at a critical moment."
"Stay it with something strong around the armholes," suggested Janet, "that will make it all right. Gracious, there comes Mrs. Satterthwaite and Rosalie; I shall have to run." And gathering up her long train, she flew from the room.
A few days later, all was ready for the performance. It was to take place in the central hall of the main college building. This hall was open to the roof with galleries around the second and third floors overlooking the hall below. Upon the third floor were the studios for the use of the art classes, and on the second were various lecture rooms. The studios were usually vacated after two o'clock, but were open in case a student might elect to work there upon any special drawing.
On the afternoon of the day when the dramatics were to take place, a sophomore entered the building casually, and sauntered up to the studios by way of the stairway outside the large hall. In a little while, a second sophomore appeared and wended her way up-stairs. She carried a canvas in her hand and no one thought it anything unusual to see her there. Later on, the dress rehearsal took place, and the big hall was the scene of "confusion and creature complaint" as Lee said.
When all had assembled, Cordelia locked the outside door, and laid the key confidently upon the dais where the king was already enthroned.
"There," she exclaimed. "I'd like to see any one get in now."
The rehearsal went on till nearly dark. Then the girls filed out, Cordelia remaining till the last. When the door closed after the entire company, she called the janitor.