e building, but
would not open the missive. That should be _her_ privilege and honor.
He lifted his eyes from it and behold, here came the two cars! But
where was she? Certainly not in the front one. There he made out, in
pairs, M. De l'Isle and Mme. Alexandre. Mlle. Yvonne and M. Dubroca,
M. Castanado, and Mme. De l'Isle. Then in the rear car his alarmed eye
picked out Beloiseau and Mlle. Corinne, with Cupid between them; Mmes.
Dubroca and Castanado, especially the latter; and then, oh, then!
Behind the smaller woman a vacant seat and behind the vaster one Aline
Chapdelaine.

"You've heard?" cried M. De Elsie, slowing to the curb. Chester
fluttered his prize. "Click, clap!"--he was in without the stopping of
a wheel and had passed the letter to Aline.

"Accepted?" asked several, while both cars resumed their speed up-town.

"We'll open it in Audubon Park," she said to Chester, and Mme.
Castanado and Dubroca passed the word forward to Beloiseau and Mlle.
Corinne. These soon got it to Castanado and Mme. De l'Isle.

"Not to be open' till Audubon Park," sped the word still forward till
Mlle. Yvonne and Dubroca had passed it to Mme. Alexandre and M. De
l'Isle.

"Ahah!" he said, as he turned Lee Circle and went spinning up St.
Charles Avenue. "Not in the pewblic street, but in Audubon Park, and
to the singing of bird'!"

XXXVI

Out near the riverside end of the park the two cars stopped abreast
under a vast live-oak, and Aline, rising, opened the letter and read
aloud:

MY DEAR MR. CHESTER:

Your manuscript, "The Holy Cross," accompanied by your letter of
the -- inst., is received and will have our early attention.

Very respectfully,

THE EDITOR.

All other outcries ceased half-uttered when the Chapdelaine sisters
clapped hands for joy, crying:

"Agcepted! Agcepted! Ah, Aline! by that kindnezz and sag-acitie of
Mr. Chezter--and all the rez' of our Royal Street frien'--you are
biccome the diz-ting-uish' and _lucrative_ authorezz, Mlle.
Chapdelaine!"

M. De l'Isle's wrath was too hot for his tongue, but Scipion stood
waiting to speak, and Mme. Castanado beckoned attention and spoke his
name.

"_Messieurs et mesdames_" he said, "that manuscrip' is no mo' agcept'
than rij-ect'. That stadement, tha'z only to rilease those insuranze
companie' and----"

"And to stop us from telegraphing!" M. De l'Isle broke in, "and to
make us, ad the end, glad to get even a small price! Ah,
mesdem