'Only they play to-morrow night.'
'Oh, to-morrow night! It would be dreadful to act so soon after my poor baby's death, wouldn't it?'
'I can't see why. We shall be as sorry for it in a week's time as now, and yet one must get to work some time or other.'
Dick considered this a very telling argument, and, not wishing to spoil its effect, he remained silent, so as to give Kate time to digest the truth of what he had said. He waited for her to ask him when he would take her to see the manager, but she said nothing, and he was at last obliged to admit that he had made an appointment for to-morrow. She whined a bit but accompanied him to the theatre. The manager was delighted with her appearance. He told her that the photo that Dick had forwarded did not do her justice; and, handing her the script, he said:
'Now you must make your entrance from this side.'
'What's the cue?'
'Here it is. I think I shall now beat a retreat in the direction of home.'
'Ah! I see.'
And, striving to decipher the manuscript, Kate walked towards the middle of the stage. 'I haven't seen the Duke for twenty-four hours, and that means misery.'
'You'll get a laugh for that if you'll turn up your eyes a bit,' said Dick.
Then, turning to the manager, he murmured, 'I wish you'd seen her as
Clairette. The notices were immense. But I must be off now to my own show.'