" said Mattie, in a tone of voice that showed that she
did care very much indeed. "I do like red hair, and we haven't had a
chance to paint any all winter."

"Red hair wouldn't make Titians of us," sighed Miss Isabella Ricker,
who was of a despondent temperament.

"It wouldn't be any hindrance, anyhow!" Mattie insisted.

Meanwhile the half-hour was drawing to a close. A general air of rough
order had descended upon the studio. The girls were sitting or
standing about in groups, their remarks getting more disjointed and
irrelevant as the nervousness of anticipation grew upon them. Madge
and Eleanor had found a seat on the steps of the platform. The former
was making a pencil sketch of Miss Isabella Ricker, who had abandoned
herself to dejection in a remote corner of the room. Madge looked up
suddenly, and found that Eleanor was watching her work.

"Your thing is very interesting," she remarked, in a reserved tone,
which, nevertheless, sent the colour mounting slowly up her friend's
sensitive cheek. They both understood that no more commendatory
adjective than "interesting" was to be found in the art-student's
vocabulary.

"You're partial, Madge."

"Not a bit of it. But I know an interesting thing when I see it. If
you win the prize," she asked abruptly, "what shall you do with the
money?"

"If you go to the moon next week, what shall you do with the green
cheese?" Eleanor retorted, with an unprecedented outburst of sarcasm.

"I think you might answer my question," said Madge; and at that
instant the door opened and a hush fell upon the room.

The suspense was not painfully prolonged. The Curator of the Art
Museum, who had been associated with Mrs. Jacques and Mr. Salome as
judge, stepped upon the platform, from which Madge and Eleanor had
precipitately retreated, and made the following announcement:

"We have, on the whole," he said, "been very well pleased with the
work we have had to consider. In fact, several of the sketches were
better than anything we had looked for. Nevertheless our decision was
not a difficult one, and our choice is unanimous. The prize which Mrs.
Jacques has had the originality and the generosity to offer has been
awarded to Mary Eleanor Merritt."

* * * * *

"And now will you answer my question?"

Madge and Eleanor were walking home together through the light snow
which had just begun to fall. They had been curiously shy of speaking,
and