The dreaded speech was made, and though Mrs. Berry looked surprised, she didn't exclaim in horror at the idea.
"Whose plan is this?" she asked, quietly.
"Why,—well,—we all want it."
"Yes, but who first thought of it?"
"Alicia spoke of it, and—the others agreed,—we all agreed,—that it would be lots of fun,—if you approved of it." Now Mrs. Berry could see a hole through a millstone, and she knew as well as if she had been told, that the others had planned this thing,—probably Alicia or Bernice,—and had made Dolly their spokesman, because of her good-natured acquiescence.
"What do YOU think of the idea?" she said smiling.
"At first it seemed to me a very forward thing to do," Dolly replied, looking very sober; "but if you think it's all right, I'd like to meet Mr. Coriell. You see, I'm going to be an opera singer myself, some day, and there are a few questions I'd like to ask him."
Mrs. Berry gasped. "You do beat the dickens!" she exclaimed. "So you're going on the stage, are you?"
"Yes, I think so."
"Then of course you ought to meet an actor. Tell Alicia to go ahead and ask this man. Tell her to invite him to tea on Friday. I'll arrange a pretty tea-party for you."