her mother fondly, and for a moment stood by her side
silent, and very still.

"I--I will try," she said at last, "I will try, but--but----" Her voice
broke.

Mrs. Carlyle put her arm about her, and held her very close. "That will
do, darling. That is all God asks of any of us--just to try and shoulder
bravely the duties He lays on us."

It was just three days later that Audrey heard the news so longed for, yet
so dreaded. By the early post that morning there came several letters,
and one of them for her.

When she opened it, and unfolded the sheet of paper it held, a cheque
dropped out and into her lap. A cheque for three guineas!

For a moment Audrey held it, staring at it incredulously. Then she had
won a prize! The first prize, too! Her play had not been utter rubbish,
but the best! The best!!

The blood rushed over her face and neck, dyeing both scarlet; her hands
trembled, her heart beat suffocatingly. She turned to the letter, but for
a moment she could see nothing. Then gradually her sight cleared, and she
read: "The Editor of _The Girl's World_ has much pleasure in informing
Miss Audrey Carlyle that her play has been adjudged the best of all those
sent in; and encloses a cheque for three guineas. The Editor would be
glad to have a copy of Miss Carlyle's latest photograph, to print in our
next number."

Audrey read no more. With her face glowing with happiness, her red mane
flying behind her, she rushed up the stairs to her mother's room. At last
she could tell her secret.

Sure of her mother's interest and sympathy she burst into the room with
only the faintest apology of a tap at the door. Her father was there too,
standing by the bed with a letter in his hand.

"Oh, mother! What do you think!" Audrey's voice broke off suddenly, for
her mother's eyes when she looked at her were full of tears.

"Oh, what has happened? Father--mother--what has happened? Not--an
accident?"

Her thoughts flew at once to her brothers and sisters. "Not----!"
She could not finish the awful question. She turned so white and faint
that her father stepped across the room, and taking her in his arms,
guided her to a chair by the open window. "No, no, dear, not, thank God,
as bad as that. A letter has come from Dr. Norman to say that yesterday
granny fainted, and was unconscious a long time. She recovered, but--he
wants me to come as soon as possible, he is afraid--her condition may be
serious."

"