Annie Kilburn
Page 99"I've no doubt I shall," said Annie. "Did you make the adaptation yourself,
Mr. Brandreth?"
"Well, yes, I did," Mr. Brandreth modestly admitted. "It's been a good deal
of work, but it's been a pleasure too. You know how that is, Miss Kilburn,
in your charities."
"_Don't_ speak of my charities, Mr. Brandreth. I'm not a charitable
person."
"You won't get people to believe _that_" said Mr. Brandreth.
"Everybody knows how much good you do. But, as I was saying, my idea was to
give a notion of the whole play in a series of passages or tableaux. Some
know, without a change of scene, that they're urging me to publish my
arrangement for the use of out-of-door theatricals."
"I should think it would be a very good idea," said Annie. "I suppose Mr.
Chapley would do it?"
"Well, I don't know--I don't know," Mr. Brandreth answered, with a note of
trouble in his voice. "I'm afraid not," he added sadly. "Miss Kilburn, I've
been put in a very unfair position by Miss Northwick's changing her mind
about Juliet, after the part had been offered to Miss Chapley. I've been
made the means of a seeming slight to Miss Chapley, when, if it hadn't been
part instantly when she heard that Miss Northwick wished to change her
mind, but all the same I know--."
He stopped, and Annie said encouragingly: "Yes, I see. But perhaps she
doesn't really care."
"That's what she said," returned Mr. Brandreth ruefully. "But I don't know.
I have never spoken of it with her since I went to tell her about it, after
I got Miss Northwick's note."
"Well, Mr. Brandreth, I think you've really been victimised; and I don't
believe the Social Union will ever be worth what it's costing."
pressed her hand gratefully in leave-taking.
She heard him talking with some one at the gate, whose sharp, "All right,
my son!" identified Putney.
She ran to the door to welcome him.
"Oh, you're _both_ here!" she rejoiced, at sight of Mrs. Putney too.
"I can send Ellen home," suggested Putney.
"Oh _no_, indeed!" said Annie, with single-mindedness at which she
laughed with Mrs. Putney. "Only it seemed too good to have you both," she
explained, kissing Mrs. Putney. "I'm _so_ glad to see you!"