It gave her a sense of achievement and victory to have brought her efforts of weeks to such a successful conclusion . She knew that there had not lacked people who thought and hinted that Rilla Blythe had not the tact or patience to engineer a concert programme . She had shown them ! Little snatches of song bubbled up from her lips as she dressed . She thought she was looking very well . Excitement brought a faint , becoming pink into her round creamy cheeks , quite drowning out her few freckles , and her hair gleamed with red-brown lustre . Should she wear crab-apple blossoms in it , or her little fillet of pearls ? After some agonised wavering she decided on the crab-apple blossoms and tucked the white waxen cluster behind her left ear . Now for a final look at her feet . Yes , both slippers were on . She gave the sleeping Jims a kiss -- what a dear little warm , rosy , satin face he had -- and hurried down the hill to the hall . Already it was filling -- soon it was crowded . Her concert was going to be a brilliant success . The first three numbers were successfully over . Rilla was in the little dressing-room behind the platform , looking out on the moonlit harbour and rehearsing her own recitations . She was alone , the rest of the performers being in the larger room on the other side . Suddenly she felt two soft bare arms slipping round her waist , then Irene Howard dropped a light kiss on her cheek . `` Rilla , you sweet thing , you 're looking simply angelic to-night . You have spunk -- I thought you would feel so badly over Walter 's enlisting that you 'd hardly be able to bear up at all , and here you are as cool as a cucumber . I wish I had half your nerve . ''
XXXXX stood perfectly still .
Blythe Howard Jims Rilla Walter dressing-room fillet harbour programme wavering