Page:Delight - de la Roche - 1926.djvu/72

 lieve you're going to be the curse of this hotel. The whole town has its eye on you already."

"Why, what have I done, Mr. Kirke, but just be myself?"

"Ay, that's the trouble," answered Kirke, "you're just yourself. And so was Jezebel, and so was Jael, and so was Delilah and Deborah."

"My goodness," said Delight, open-eyed, "you do know your Bible, don't you?"

The four girls were dressing for the ball. As ill-fortune would have it, there was a fruit-growers' convention in Brancepeth next day, the dining-room had been crowded, and the girls were later than usual in leaving the kitchen. Their faces were burning, their breath came in gasps. May's and Pearl's hands were red and swollen from hot dish-water. Mrs. Bye, with Queenie at her heels, rushed from room to room helping them to dress. Before each looking-glass blazed two coal oil lamps, the basins on the washing-stands swam with soapy water; there was a smell of burning hair and cheap toilet powder. It was stifling hot. The freshly laundered petticoats of the four girls rustled as they flew here and there.

"My word," cried Mrs. Bye. "I can't lay my hands on a single hairpin! May, you've got your hair frizzed so that I'll never get this ribbon bound in it."

"The frizz'll come out soon enough when I've done a few dances. Oh, Lord, there's my garter broke!"

"Somebody pull my corset lace," implored Pearl. "I must have gained ten pounds since the last dance."

"Oh, oh," moaned Annie, "I've been on my feet so