Dolly went straight to Bernice, and said in a low tone: “Don’t talk that way, Bernie! You scare them all off. They won’t stand your putting on airs.”
“Airs, nothing!” cried Bernice. “Don’t tell me how to behave, Dolly Fayre! Hello, there, Tad Brown. Put on my skates for me, won’t you?”
Thus summoned, Tad had to obey, and after the skates were adjusted, Bernice said, “Now, for a glide,” and perforce Tad skated with her. But he made a grimace over his shoulder at Dolly, and Bernice saw it.
“I won’t go with you, you rude thing!” she exclaimed. “I saw you wink at Dolly Fayre!”
“Well,” Tad exclaimed, “haven’t I a right to wink if I want to?”
“But I know what you meant, you meant you didn’t want to skate with me. Come, now, didn’t you?”
“If I did, I wouldn’t tell you so,” said Tad, half-laughing at Bernice’s angry face. And this so enraged her, that she turned and left him, and skated off alone.
Dolly was in despair. Was all her plan to fall through because Bernice herself couldn’t make good?
“What matter, Dollsie?” said Lollie Henry, just arriving, and seeing the woebegone face.
“Oh, Lollie, you’re my friend! Do help me out! Please go and skate with Bernice, and be awfully nice to her, no matter what she says. Won’t you, Lollie, please?”