Miss Miller returned in a moment. “I’ve taken a room,” she announced. “I can’t afford it, but I am doing it anyway.”
“Will you be able to manage?”
“Oh, I’ll run up a bill and then let them try to collect!”
Penny gazed at the actress with frank amazement.
“You surely don’t mean you would deliberately defraud the hotel?”
“Not so loud or the clerk will hear you,” Miss Miller warned. “And don’t use such an ugly word. If I land the part with Mr. Balantine, of course I’ll pay. If not—the worst they can do is to throw me out.”
Penny said no more but her opinion of Miss Miller had descended several notches.
“What are you doing here?” the actress inquired, quickly changing the subject.
“Oh, I just came down to look over the hotel. It’s very swanky, but I like Mrs. Downey’s place better.”
Miss Miller turned to leave. “I am going back there now to check out,” she declared. “Would you like to walk along?”