Before Doris could recover from her surprise, the Misses Gates came rushing into the hall.
“I thought I recognized your voice,” Iris murmured, self-consciously.
“We were wondering if you would come tonight,” Azalea added, a tell-tale blush creeping over her pale cheeks.
The stranger bestowed upon each a smile which to Doris seemed to fairly drip sentiment.
“Did you think I could stay away from two such charming young ladies?” he asked in a strangely softened voice.
Kitty, who had followed the Misses Gates into the hall, looked at her chum in disgust. Azalea and Iris saw nothing amiss. One of them took his hat and stick, the other his dripping coat.
Miss Azalea gazed admiringly at the cane which he bestowed upon her with all the grace of a sleight-of-hand performer.
“How’s that?” he asked in self-satisfied tones as he twirled the stick jauntily before handing it to the enraptured hostess.
“Oh, aren’t you clever, Ronald?”
“Well,” he shrugged his shoulders as if to appear very modest, “they do say I’m a good entertainer.”