Part 30 (2/2)

”Oh, very well!” Just answered, instantly. ”You can do 'em yourself, then, Ches.”

”All right,” said Chester. ”There is a big screen of palms and ferns for the orchestra,” he explained, with satisfaction, to Lucy. ”n.o.body'll know who's performing, anyhow.”

”Oh!” said Lucy.

Carolyn had soon convinced Just that the little home orchestra could undertake the music without much fear of failure.

”Of course there's a chance that the change may put the dancers out, yet I don't think so. I noticed it was rather simple music, and they're so well drilled they're not very dependent on the music. Anyhow, people will be too interested in the costumes and the steps to notice whether the music is strictly appropriate. As long as you give them something in precisely the right time, I don't believe the change will bother them. I can coach you on that.”

”All right,” and Just hurried back to the telephone.

Within three-quarters of an hour he had them all there, a laughing crew, ready for what struck them as a frolic for themselves. Chester Agnew carried the instruments behind the screen, and managed to slip the members of the new orchestra one by one from the dining-room doorway to the shelter of the palms without anybody's being the wiser. In ten minutes more soft music began to steal through the crowded rooms.

”The orchestra has come, after all,” said Mrs. Agnew to her husband, in the front room. Her voice breathed relief.

He nodded satisfaction. ”So I hear. I don't know how they managed it, but I accept the fact without question.”

”Do you think it's always safe to do that?” queried his son Chester, coming up in time to hear.

”Accept facts without question? What else can you do with facts?”

”But if they should turn out not to be facts?”

”In this case I have the evidence of my ears,” returned the learned man, comfortably, and Chester walked away again, his eyes dancing.

”n.o.body can tell you from Lindmann,” he whispered, behind the screen, during an interval.

”That's good. Hope the delusion keeps up. We don't feel much like Lindmann,” returned Churchill, hastily turning over a pile of music.

”Get your crowd to talking as loud as it can--then we're comparatively safe. Where's the second violin part of 'King Manfred'? Look out, Just--you hit my elbow twice with your bow-arm last time. These quarters are a bit--There you are, Charlotte. Now take this thing slow, and look to your phrasing. All ready!”

The costume dances did not come until after supper. By that time the Churchills and Birches, behind the screen, had settled down to steady work. During supper a violin, with the 'cello and ba.s.s, carried on the music, while Doctor Churchill, Celia and Carolyn Houghton planned a subst.i.tute programme for the dances.

In two cases they found the original music familiar; in most of the others it proved not very difficult to adapt other music. The leaders of the dances were told that whatever happened they were to carry through their parts without showing signs of distress.

”It's a pretty big bluff,” murmured Jeff, leaning back in his chair and mopping a perspiring brow. ”Phew-w. but it's hot in here! I expect to see several of those crazy dances go all to pieces on our account. That Highland Fling! Mind you keep up a ripping time on that. It ought to be piped, not stringed.”

Nevertheless, in spite of a good deal of perturbation on the part of both dancers and orchestra, the entertainment went off well enough to be applauded heartily. Certain numbers, notably the South Carolina breakdown, the Irish jig, and the minuet of Was.h.i.+ngton's time, ”brought down the house,” presumably because the music fitted best and bothered the dancers least.

When it was over, the musicians expected to escape before they were found out, thinking the fun Would be the greater if the Agnews did not learn to whom they were indebted until later. But young Chester Agnew defeated this. He instructed half-a-dozen of his friends, and as the final strains were coming to a close, these boys laid hold of the wall of palms and pulled it to pieces. The musicians, laughing and protesting, were shown to the entire company.

A great murmur of surprise was followed by a burst of applause and laughter, in the midst of which Doctor and Mrs. Agnew hurried to the front, followed by their daughters, who had already discovered the truth, but had been warned by their brother to keep quiet about it.

”My dear friends!” exclaimed the head-master. ”Is it possible that it is you who have filled the gap so successfully? Well, really, what shall we say to such kindness?”

”Mrs. Churchill--Doctor Churchill--Miss Birch--all of you,” Mrs Agnew was saying, in her surprise, ”what a very lovely thing to do! It has been too kind of you. We appreciate it more than we can tell you. You must come out at once and have some supper.”

”The evening would have been spoiled without you!” cried Jessica Agnew, and Isabel said the same thing. Chester was loud in his praises, and indeed, the orchestra received an ovation which quite overwhelmed it. It went out to supper presently, escorted by at least twenty young people.

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