ith a
magazine imprint on it, came with her morning's mail and nearly ended a
young and useful life. The editor begged to inform her that the
committee of judges had awarded her the short-story prize, that her tale
would be published in the forth-coming issue, and she would please find
check enclosed. Had she any other manuscript that they might see? Would
she honour them with a visit the next time she came to New York? They
would like to talk over a series of stories similar to the prize winner.

The Professor and Jarvis had both departed to their lairs, or they would
have witnessed the best pas seul of Bambi's life. She fluttered the
joy-bringing letter above her head, and circled the breakfast room in a
whirl of happiness. Ardelia entered as she reached her climax.

[Illustration: BAMBI FLUTTERED THE JOY-BRINGING LETTER ABOVE HER HEAD
AND CIRCLED THE BREAKFAST-ROOM IN A WHIRL OF HAPPINESS.]

"Mah good Lud, Miss Bambi, yo' sho' can dance better'n Jezebel! I 'low
the debil do git into yo', the way yo' all dance! Go 'way frum me! Don'
yo' drag me into no cunjer dance."

"Ardelia, the gods do provide!" cried Bambi. "Such unutterably crazy
good luck--to think of my getting it!"

"Did yo' get a lottery prize, Miss Bambi?"

"That's just what I got--a lottery prize."

"Foh the Lud's sake! What you gwine to do with it?"

"I am going to take Jarvis Jocelyn to New York, and between us we are
going to harness Fame and drive her home."

"Well, I don' know who Fame is, but if she's a hoss, wher' yo' goin' to
keep her when yo' get her? We ain't got no barn for her."

Bambi laughed.

"We'll stable her all right, Ardelia, if we can catch her. This is a
secret between you and me. Don't you breathe it to a soul that I have
won anything."

"No, ma'am; yo' kin trust me to the death."

"I'll bring you a present from New York if you won't tell."

She rushed off to her own room, to look over her clothes and plan.
Having married Jarvis out of hand, she would now take him on a
moneymoon; they would seek their fortune instead of love. He would
peddle his play; she would honour the publisher with a visit. She hugged
herself with joy over the prospect. She worked out various schemes by
which she could break it to Jarvis and the Professor that she had money
enough for a trip to New York, without saying how she got it.
Fortunately, they were not of an inquiring mind, so she hoped that she
could convince them without much difficult