"Dick Herbert!" she exclaimed incredulously. "How dare he come here? It's the most audacious thing I ever heard of! Certainly I will not see him again in any circumstances." She arose and glared defiantly at the demure maid. "Tell Mr. Herbert," she said emphatically, "tell him—that I'll be right down."
CHAPTER VII
Mr. Meredith had stamped out of the room angrily, and Dick Herbert was alone when Dollie, in regal indignation, swept in. The general slant of her ruddy head radiated defiance, and a most depressing chilliness lay in her blue eyes. Her lips formed a scarlet line, and there was a how-dare-you-sir tilt to nose and chin. Dick started up quickly at her appearance.
"Dollie!" he exclaimed eagerly.
"Mr. Herbert," she responded coldly. She sat down primly on the extreme edge of a chair which yawned to embrace her. "What is it, please?"
Dick was a singularly audacious sort of person, but her manner froze him into sudden austerity. He regarded her steadily for a moment.
"I have come to explain why——"
Miss Dollie Meredith sniffed.
"I have come to explain," he went on, "why I did not meet you at the Randolph masked ball, as we had planned."