l, teaching out of a great ignorance. This probation officer woman,
she was the modern idealist, as modern as Jesus Christ, who worked in
the same spirit.

He would finish his vision-plays, as he called them, because he believed
in them. But, in the meantime, he would learn something of the real
issues of men and women as they live in great cities, so that he could
write a play which would be so true, so vital, that it would be like
watching the beating of the hot heart of life. That night was the
beginning of a new era for Jarvis.

XVII

Bambina Parkhurst was a young woman not much given to wrath, but as she
read the two letters from New York she grew thoroughly enraged at
Jarvis. Evidently, he had been exceedingly rude to Mr. Strong, and
evidently Mr. Strong had been exceedingly annoyed. She was so furious at
him that when she sat down to her desk to write her daily chapters no
ideas came. Her mind just went over and over the situation of kind Mr.
Strong putting himself out to be polite for her sake--Jarvis, stiff and
ill-mannered, repulsing him. She determined to omit the daily letter to
the offender until she cooled off. She gave up work for the morning and
descended upon Ardelia.

"Ardelia, I am so mad I can't think of anything to do but put up fruit."

"Law, Miss Bambi, you ain't mad wif me, is you?"

"No. I'm mad with man."

"Man! Wat's the Perfessor bin doin'? Has he don' forgot somfin'?"

"It isn't the Professor. It's the sex."

"Well, don' you go meddlin' round wid fruit and gettin' yo' hands
stained up, jus' caus' yo's mad wid de sex."

"I have got to do something violent, Ardelia. I am going to jerk the
stems off of berries, chop the pits out of cherries, and skin peaches."

"Laws a-massy, you suttinly is fierce this mohnin'. All right, go ahead,
but der ain't no need of it. I mos' generally always has put up the
fruit for the fam'ly wifout no help."

"I know you don't need me, Ardelia, but I need you."

"Well, chile, heah's de fust few bushels ob cherries."

"Bushels? Mercy on us! Are you going to do all those?"

"Yassum. And den some more. Dat's the Perfessor's favourite fruit."

Bambi was promptly enveloped in a huge apron and settled on the back
piazza, surrounded with pans and baskets. Ardelia stood by, and handed
her things, until she got started.

"Hurry up, and come out, Ardelia. I want you to talk to me and take my
mind off of things."

"I'll be 'long, by and by."

[Illus