was so seldom irritated. She rang for
Ardelia.

"Why, Miss Bambi, honey! I didn't see yo' all comin'."

"Here I am, and hungry, too."

"How's Mistah Jarvis?"

"All right. Breakfast, Ardelia, I perish."

"Did you have a successful trip?" inquired her father.

"I did, very."

"How did you find Babylon?"

"As Babylonish as ever."

She seemed strangely disinclined for conversation, so her wise parent
left her to her meditations and her breakfast. But he patted her as he
passed to go out.

"We're glad to have you back, my daughter."

She brushed his cheek with her lips, understandingly.

XXI

"God's in his heaven! All's right with the world!" carrolled Bambi gayly
the next day.

She wrote Mr. Strong of her interview with Mr. Frohman and its happy
outcome. It gave her some satisfaction to announce that the manager was
willing to entrust Jarvis with the play. She explained that she was
obliged to come home on the night train, so she had missed the pleasure
of seeing him. Would he see that Mr. Frohman had the first bound copy
of the book?

She added that she was happy, but it was superfluous. It sang itself
through the note, so that Strong patted the paper, as he finished it, as
if it were a personal belonging of the sender.

The letter finished, she mounted the stairs to Jarvis's house, as she
always called the top floor. She wandered about, comparing it with that
place of confinement where he now dwelt. To-day he would write or
telegraph to her his news, if he had the interview with Frohman.

She began work on the play, up in his study. She outlined the main plot,
marked scenes in the book she thought vital, scraps of conversation
which would be effective. She planned the sets for the different acts,
even deciding upon Francesca's clothes. Ever and anon, in the midst of
her happy scheming, she fell to dreaming of the days to come, with
Jarvis home again, and their work together resumed.

Whenever the doorbell rang she stopped and waited for Ardelia's heavy
foot upon the stairs as she toiled up with the telegram or special
delivery. But the morning passed, plus half the afternoon, with no word
from him. She went down to the post-office herself in the hope that the
late mail would reward her. There was nothing for her.

The next day brought only a note from Strong congratulating her
enthusiastically, and prophesying a great success for the Jocelyn
family. She spent a restless day waiting for the po