“I mean to be patient,” said Roberta soberly.  “And Olivia has really a good speaking voice.  It’s the curious effect of the imaginary boots that stirs my wonder.  She actually speaks in a higher key with them on than off.  But we shall improve that, in the fortnight before the play.  They are really doing very well, and our Katherine—­Ethel Revell—­is going to forget herself completely in her part, if I can manage it.  In spite of the hard work I thoroughly enjoy the rehearsing of the yearly play—­it’s a relief from the routine work of the class.  And the girls appreciate the best there is, in the great writers and dramatists, as you wouldn’t imagine they could do.”

“On the whole, you would rather be a teacher than an office stenographer?” suggested Louis, with a touch of mischief in his tone.  “You know, I’ve always been a bit disappointed that you didn’t come into our office, after working so hard to make an expert of yourself.”

“That training wasn’t wasted,” defended Roberta.  “I’m able to make friends with my working girls lots better on account of the stenography and typewriting I know.  And I may need that resource yet.  I’m not at all sure that I mean to be a teacher all my days.”

“I’m very sure you’ll not,” said her brother, with a laughing glance, which Roberta ignored.  It was a matter of considerable amusement to her brothers the serious way in which she had set about being independent.  They fully approved of her decision to spend her time in a way worth the while, but when it came to planning for a lifetime—­there were plenty of reasons for skepticism as to her needing to look far ahead.  Indeed, it was well known that Roberta might have abandoned all effort long ago, and have given any one of several extremely eligible young men the greatly desired opportunity of taking care of her in his own way.

The pair separated at a street corner, and, as it happened, Louis heard little more about the progress of the school rehearsals for The Taming of the Shrew until the day before its public performance—­if a performance could be called public which was to be given in so private a place as the ballroom in the home of one of the wealthiest patrons of the school, the audience composed wholly of invited guests, and admission to the affair for others extremely difficult to procure on any ground whatever.

Appearing at the close of the final rehearsal to escort his sister home—­for the hour, like that of all final rehearsals, was late—­Louis found a flushed and highly wrought Roberta delivering last instructions even as she put on her wraps.

“Remember, Olivia,” he heard her say to a tall girl wrapped in a long cloak which evidently concealed male trappings, “I’m not going to tone down my part one bit to fit yours.  If I’m stormy you must be blustering; if I’m furious you must be fierce.  You can do it, I know.”

“I certainly hope so, Miss Gray,” answered a none-too-confident voice.  “But I’m simply frightened to death to play opposite you.”