Fantasy Football Challenge - Football Fanatics Library

Fantasy Football Challenge - Library of Books for Football Fanatics

Fantasy Football Challenge presents
Jane Allen Junior

56 of 76

a creature of a lower order of creation, but as the boys said, "Sandy did have her goin'." And she was the "foreign element," the obnoxious visitor at the beauty shop, who was so sorely and fatally stage struck that she had seriously disturbed the peace of decorous little Bingham! "She would yell right out in the night, like a hoot owl only fiercer!" insisted one of her followers. "And she ain't safe to be loose with a habit like that." "Defyin' the law and disturbin' the peace," growled Sandy. "I've had a warrant for that noise ever since it scared old Mrs. Miner into fits and she was took to the horspittal on account of it." "City folks is all right in their place," squeaked a thin little woman, one of the very few women in that crowd, "but if that kind is allowed to run wild over our quiet home towns, I say what is Bingham comin' to?" Queer noises without words gave answer. The Wellingtons, with other followers, were now almost in front of the Town Hall, when the victim of this country prejudice espied Shirley. "There is someone who knows me!" she cried out. "Ask that young lady and she'll tell you I'm a legitimate actress, and that I came out here to have room to practice!" Shirley "ducked," as Judith put it, but Sally, more sympathetic, offered to interfere. "Don't," begged Jane. "We were at this court only a short time ago. We don't want to wear out our welcome. Come along, girls; I, as junior, am responsible for getting you back on time. Come along." "Yes," said Shirley bitterly. "Do come along, girls. That's about the way this lady left me when my horse threw me off on the hill. She was not anxious about me then and I guess she isn't as much in danger now as I was at that time," and when Officer Sandy piloted his charge in before the recorder, the doors were closed and the hearing was made private. CHAPTER XXII STARTLING DISCLOSURES Once more Shirley had the center of the stage--a position she loved when it entailed the telling of a thrilling story. And at last the ghost story "was ripe," as Jane expressed it. "Tell us," she demanded, without regard for the race to college during the telling, "who is that woman and what do you mean by calling her the ghost." "She's an actress," declared Shirley, "that is, she thinks she is, and she has lots of money and a poor head for managing it. In fact, I have always thought her erratic. You see," went on Shirley, supporting herself by "linking" into the accommodating arms extended, "Dol Vin fetched her out here from the city so that she could practice her howling. She was cast for a part with a wild scream in it, and every time she attempted to practice someone interfered, the police usually." "No wonder," interrupted Jane. "Why couldn't she stick to the theater for rehearsing?" "Her own idea," went on Shirley, importance of the occasion echoing in her tone. "She wanted to get it down pat and startle her manager into starring her. It seems a great deal depended on that frightful scream and she kept at it every chance she got." Here the girls threatened to outdo the "lady of the scream," but rough walking checked the attempts. They also realized her fate. "But how did she get the chance to go up in Lenox attic?" asked Dozia when her voice could be heard. "As I suppose it was she who ripped out that terrifying yell---" "That I rang the fire bell to cover," put in Sally gleefully. "And that the fire department wanted to turn the hose on," chimed in Judith. "Now let me tell it," demanded Shirley. "Please do," insisted Jane. "Well, she had more than a scream to put in her important part, so she said! She had also to do some wild acting and Dol Vin is responsible for the idea of Madam Zwachevsky---" "Oh, spare us," cried Jane. "That sounds like an epidemic." "It's the name she wastes ink on, but I will spare you girls. Hereafter she shall be Madam Z," agreed Shirley. "Oh, hurry! Shirley," entreated Dozia. "Here we are at the Cedars, and we never could wait for the rest of that story until after supper." "I'll rush it through, but Sally, do stop pinching me," she teased, just to make Sally run on ahead in contradiction. "Well, Dol Vin didn't want that racket around her shop, so I suppose she told Madam

56 of 76 pages. Go to page:

Go to this Book's Directory Page