ty? Raise your hands.

[_All raise their hands._]

_Sophia_. Let's appoint a committee to get it up.

_Christabel_. Do you suppose we could let Alice in on that?

_Annette_. Oh, bother that tiresome girl! No, we can't.

[_A knock on the door. All hush, and sit up very straight._ Helen
_unlocks and opens the door. An_ Old Woman _enters. She
stoops, leans heavily on a cane, and limps. She has on a long
black cloak, and wears a large poke bonnet. Adjusting glasses on
her nose, she scans the club members, then hobbles up to the_
President.]

_Old Woman_. Good-afternoon. Might I sit down and visit you a few
minutes? (Helen _places a chair_.) Thank you, dearie. You see, it's
hard for me to stand. I'm pretty lame. But I can get about very well. Oh
yes; very well, considering. You don't know me, I suppose?

_Blanche_. I think not. Perhaps you have got into the wrong place?

_Old Woman_. Isn't this the Ninepin Club?

_Blanche_. Yes.

_Old Woman_ (_chuckling_). It's the right place. Oh yes, it's the right
place. The Ninepin Club is where I was bound for.

_Christabel_. A most extraordinary person.

_Old Woman_. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine. Oh, I
see, nine of you. That's why you are the Ninepin Club. Quite a
coincidence. (_Shakes her head gravely._) But I thought there were ten
in your class. How does it happen that you're one short?

_Blanche_. If you please, we would like to know what right you have to
question our Club. Who are you, please?

_Old Woman_. Certainly, certainly. What's my name and where's my home?
My name is Granny Playfair, and I am the general Club regulator.
Whenever a Club is established, I look after it, d'ye see?

[_The girls appear much mystified._]

_Blanche_. Well, Granny Playfair?

_Granny_. And knowing about the Ninepin Club, I have come to regulate
it.

_Blanche_. But how did you know about our Club? The members are pledged
to secrecy.

_Granny_. How did I know? Well, there's where I am pledged to secrecy.
It's a mighty good thing for Clubs that I regulate them, though. Little
birds of the air sometimes tell me things.

_Blanche_. But, are you sure that our Club needs regulating?

_Granny_. Quite sure. Your Club is wrong all through.

_Blanche_. I have made a special study of _Cushing's Manual_, and we are
quite parliamentary.

_Granny_. Well, I'm glad of that. (_Shakes her head._) Oh, but you do
need regulat