y didn't. Roberta's was
magnificent. They wanted her for Portia too. Mr. Masters had said it was
a great pity there weren't two of her. How did she take it? Why, she
acted shy and bored and distant, just as usual. She seemed to have
expected to be Shylock!

But she wasn't "just as usual." She was sitting by her window in the
dark, with Mary Brooks's picture clutched tightly in one hand and her
father's in the other, and she was whispering soft little messages to
them.

"Dear old daddy, you were in all the fraternities and societies, and on
all the college papers and the 'varsity eight. Well, I'm on one thing
now. You'll have one little chance to be proud of me, perhaps, after all
these four years.

"Now, Mary Brooks, do you see what I can do? I couldn't write and I
couldn't be popular or prominent or a 'star' in any of the classes. I'm
not that kind. But after all I shall be something but just one of the
Clan before I leave.

"Oh, I wonder if Mary and father would like to sit together at the
play."

While Roberta was considering the probability that they would, Betty
knocked her soft little knock on the door. Roberta always knew Betty's
knock.

"Come," she called in a queer, trembly voice. How was she ever going to
thank Betty for seeing what no one else saw, and helping her to stick to
it and get her chance in a nice quiet way that wouldn't make her feel
awkward if she failed?

But Betty didn't give her time to open her mouth. "You dear old thing!"
she cried. "Oh, I am so happy! I never thought you'd get it. Honestly, I
didn't. I just thought you might as well try. Roberta, you ought to
hear the things Mr. Masters has been saying about you."

Roberta laughed happily. "It's nice, isn't it?" she said. "Didn't you
think I could get a part? You were the one who told me I ought to try."

"Yes," said Betty solemnly, "I thought you'd get one of the Sals
probably--you know the ones I mean,--Solanio, and the others that sound
like him. We call them the Sals for short, I never dreamed of your being
Shylock, any more than I planned for you to be Ermengarde. You did it
every bit yourself, Roberta Lewis, by just happening to come around at
the right times."

"And by coming to the right person," added Roberta.

But Betty only laughed at her. "It's bad enough to be blamed for things
you've done," she said. "I simply won't be praised for things I haven't
done. I never was so pleased in my life. Roberta, Miss Kingston sa