"Don't be horrid, Teddy," she said impatiently, and, wishing to appease him quickly, that she might talk to him of the play, she continued: "The fact is, Mr. Garraboy has done everything he could for me. He sold my stocks a week ago, foreseeing this panic, and saved me several thousand dollars. He offered to give me his check for twenty-two thousand five hundred dollars, or to reinvest it for me when the time came in the enormous bargains that can be picked up now. What was I to do?"
"You're quite right, and I made a great mistake to mislead you so," he answered, with great seriousness.
"It wasn't your fault," she said abruptly.
"Wasn't it?" he said, opening his eyes with a show of surprise.
She comprehended that she would have to surrender, and, changing her tone to one of gentleness, she said:
"It was a great thing for you to do what you did, Teddy--I shall never forget it."
"Nonsense," he said, persisting in misunderstanding her. "I often get up early--that was nothing at all."
"You are not at all the way you were last time," she said reproachfully, forgetting that that was just what she wished to avoid.
But at this moment the telephone rang. Stigler, her manager, was calling. Immediately she forgot their misunderstanding, carried away by the enthusiasm of the moment. Beecher, with a clear vision, followed her, noticing in her voice, as she sought to cajole the manager, the same caressing pleading which she had employed a moment before with him.
"Now I really see her," he thought, with a liberation of his spirit. "Emma was entirely wrong. She's not a woman--she always an actress."
"I'll send you the play right away," she was saying. "Mr. Hargrave is coming. I'll have him take it to the hotel. But you must read it tonight. Promise! Oh, yes, lots of comedy--delicious! Heart interest and big scenes--yes, sensational. Just the part for Fannestock. I must have him for the part! You'll see him in every line! Now, Mr. Stigler, please read it tonight!"
"Ah, there's Fannestock too," said Beecher grimly to himself.
She rose from telephoning, joyous and excited.
"Oh, if Stigler will only see it! It's a great part--a great part! There's a wonderful scene at the close of the third act, between the two women and the father, that will bring down the house."