“At the Opera House?” Mabel repeated, in some bewilderment.
“Sure,” chaffed Jim. “Didn’t you know Joe’d gone on the stage?”
“Yes,” said Clara, carrying out the mystification. “He made a hit, too.”
“There was at least one man in the audience he made a hit with,” chuckled Jim.
“Don’t let them fool you, Mabel,” said Joe, tenderly. “There was just a little excitement at the Opera House last night and Jim and I took a hand in stopping it. They’re making an awful lot of a very simple matter.”
“You’ve no idea what a voice Joe has for public speaking,” persisted the irrepressible Jim. “Last night he was a howling success.” 48
“Clara, dear, tell me all about it,” entreated Mabel. “We girls are the only ones who can talk sense.”
Thus appealed to, Clara told about the circumstances of the night before, and, as may be imagined, Joe did not suffer in the telling. If the latter had needed any other reward for his exploit he found it in Mabel’s eyes as she looked at him.
“I thought I knew all about you before,” she said, in a half whisper, “but I’m learning all the time!”