“I don’t mind,” smiled Cordie.
“Good. That’s settled,” said Miss Diurno, whose very greatness as a musician so affected Lucile that she found it very difficult to be her usual frank and friendly self. “Miss Lucile, you may have ten minutes for thinking up questions. Then, over our coffee, we will answer them. But remember, only three questions, three around.”
“Only three,” Lucile whispered to herself. “And there is so much I want to know! So much I just must know!”
As she sat there, with her head all in a whirl, trying in vain to form the questions she wished to ask, one conviction was borne in upon her. She had been the center of a plot, a very friendly plot, she was sure of that, and one that had been entered into the truest of Christmas spirit. Cordie had known Miss Diurno all the time, in fact had only a short time ago called her Auntie. Miss Diurno had called Laurie by a familiar name—she had said “Old dear.” She must have known him a long time. Then surely, to be a friend to such an one, he must be something rather great himself. And Cordie? She could scarcely be the simple little country girl she had thought her. Lucile’s mind was in such a daze that when the great pianist tapped her wrist watch and said: “Time’s up. Who’s the first?” she had not formed one question.
“Age before beauty,” laughed Cordie.
“Well, that’s me?” smiled Miss Diurno. “I am ready to be questioned.”
“Why—er—” stammered Lucile. “Why did you, who are such a very great musician, undertake the humble task of assisting in a newspaper stunt?”
“Dear little girl,” said Miss Diurno, a very mellow note of kindness creeping into her voice, “there are no great people in the world, and there are no truly humble tasks. All people who are truly great are also very humble. Tasks called humble by men may be truly great.
“But you have asked me a question. The reason I accepted that newspaper task was this: Marie Caruthers, my very best school chum and lifetime friend, went in for newspaper work. She was to have done the stunt, but just when the time came she was taken to the hospital. So I volunteered to take her place. And it was fun, heaps of it! Just imagine having the whole city looking for you and yet to be walking in and out among the people every day and not a single one of them recognizing you at all.
“But there were times enough when I got into plenty of trouble. That night in the department store was a scream!”