“And how!”
“Very well. I will expect you and Helen to have your lines for the first act well in hand by Monday night.”
Miss Williams, followed by Margie, left the room and Helen turned to face Janet.
“I’m sorry it turned out this way. I’d rather you had won a part.”
“I’m not,” said Janet, and she said it honestly, for a part in the senior play had meant so much more to Helen. She knew she had done her best, but she had to admit that after all Margie was better suited to the rôle than she.
The air softened. April came and went, and the senior play neared its final rehearsals. Miss Williams drove the cast without mercy for on the success of the play would depend her own opportunity for advancement.
Helen, working every spare moment, became tired and irritable.
“I’ll be glad when it’s all over,” she said. “I never dreamed it would be so hard.”
“You’ll be well repaid when the play is given,” said Janet, who had been assigned to the stage crew. In this capacity she attended almost every rehearsal and she couldn’t help watching Margie go through the lines of Abbie. It was a delightful part, easy to handle, and so breezy and irresponsible.
Costuming took several nights, for Miss Williams was meticulous. Then came the dress rehearsals, the first on Monday night. The play would be given Friday. On the following week came the junior-senior banquet and then graduation and the end of school days.