When the curtain went down, after the second act, Addie Loring raised her glass and began gazing about her.
Suddenly her face lighted, and, bending forward, she waved her hand to some one in the audience near them.
“Oh papa,” she said, turning eagerly to her father, “there is Sadie Nutting! She must have returned on the last steamer. See! she is beckoning to me. Will you take me to her just for a few moments, while the curtain is down? I am sure Gladys and Mr. Mapleson will excuse us and entertain each other while we are gone, and we won’t be five minutes.”
Mr. Loring glanced at Everet, hoping he would offer to escort his daughter, for he was too comfortably seated to care to be disturbed.
But the young man had no such intention; this was just the opportunity he had been wanting, ever since he came to New York, and he meant to improve it, even though he should have only “five minutes.” He said:
“Certainly, certainly,” to Miss Loring, “go, by all means, to see your friend, if you wish,” and he watched the father and daughter with a secret thrill of triumph as they went out, leaving him alone with Gladys.
She was greatly disturbed by the incident.
She could not blame Addie, for she knew that she was ignorant of her feelings toward Everet Mapleson; but she wished, with all her heart, that Geoffrey would come, so that she need not be alone with Everet.
The moment the doors closed upon Mr. Loring and his daughter, Everet turned smilingly toward his companion, and drew his chair nearer to her.
“Thank the fates, and that giddy girl, for this supreme moment,” he began, in a low, passionate tone; adding: “Gladys, have you forgotten our last private interview at Vassar?”