"That's sheer spite—you're jealous of my talent. Miss Lascelles, tell her I can't be out of an engagement long."
"With all his experience?" cried Tattie. "His notices as 'Buttercup' were immense!"
"Poor Miss Jinman!" sighed Rosalind; "I'm sorry for that old woman." She nodded at Conrad. "You should see her this morning!"
"I want to see her," he declared, "or rather, I want one of you to see her for me. You know we've all got to stick together in this thing, and——"
"And 'be loyal to the show!'" said Tattie.
"No, but joking aside, I want you girls to help me straighten things out. I was going to talk to you about it anyhow. Now tell me—what do they all want?"
"I suppose they all want a 'shop,'" Tattie answered.
"I can't give them a 'shop'—I'm not in the business—but I might send them home with a few of the Best in their pockets. How would that do?"
They lifted their heads, and looked at him; and the waiter put the soup on the table.
"Did you mean it?" murmured Rosalind when the waiter had turned his back.