The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1917-05-05
"BAMBI" Benton NC Cooke eedle

Are you alone?" he asked coy
ly.
She gave him a direct glance
and answered seriously:
mo. l am walking with my five
little brothers and sisters" He
looked at her in such utter amaze
ment that she laughed again. This
time he understood.
Good day." said he, and right
about-faced.
She inspected her address for
the hundredth time, and went TO
the magazine office. where she
was to find the golden egg. She
was impressed by the elegance OF
the busy reception room, with its
mahogany and good pictures. She
sent her card to the editor and
wanted fifteen minutes, then the
card bearer returned. She was
sorry, but the editor was extremely
occupied this morning. Was there
anything she could do for Mrs.
Jocelyn? Bambi's face registered
her disappointment.
Would 1t do any good for me
to waltz"
Have you a letter of introduc-
ton? Mr.. Strong seemed not to
know your name"
HE told me to come"
Told you? How do you mean?"
Bambi offered the letter to her.
As she read 1t her face changed.
"Oh, are you the girl who won
the prize?" Bambi nodded.
you are?" she protested her
amazement.
I'm just as surprised as you
are" Bambi assured her.
"Of course Mr.. Strong will see
you. He didn't understand" She
was off in great haste, and back
in a fifty.
Come right in," she invited.
Bambi wanted to run. Her
breath came in little, short gasps.
She wished she could take hold
of the other girls hand and hold
1t tight. A door stood open into an
outside office, and several clerks
stared at her. The sanctum door
was open.
Mr.. Strong, this is Mrs. Joce-
lyn," said her guide, and the door
closed behind her. A tall, pleasant
faced young man rose and tried to
cover his surprise.
How do you do?" he said cor
daily, with outstretched hand.
Bambi laid hers in 1t.
I'm frightened to DEATH" she
answered.
"Frightened-of me?"
well, not you, exactly, but edi-
torism." He laughed.
II can match amazement with
your terror, then. You are a sur
prise"
Il am looking for career" she
began. but his surprised glance
stopped her. You see, ought to
dance. That's what the Lord in-
tended me to do. | can dance"
81 can imagine that"
but dancing would take. me
away from home SO much, and the
Heavenly Twins need me So"
Twins? You haven't twins!"
Eyes. oh, no, not real ones, but
my father and Jarvis"
"Is Jarvis a friend?"
ooh, no, | am married to him.
They are both so helpless. My
father is a mathematician. l wrote
the story, and just for fun l sent
it to your contest
I'VE want a whole series OF
tales about that girl. She's new
We could give you $50 a story.
That would be $500 for the ten.
Then. eventually, we would make
a book of them, and you would get
10 per cent on that. Are those
terms satisfactory"
"Oh, mercy, yes. 1t sounds like
a fortune"
when could you begin. Mrs.
Jocelyn?"
Right away, today!"
well. that will hardly be neces-
sary. II you send copy to us by
the fifth, that will be soon
enough"
Out in the office. and in the
reception room, inter
ested faces turned toward her. The
girl who had acted as sponsor for
her nodded. She tasted the first
fruits of success, and they were
sweet. The only imperfection was
the fact she could not tell Jarvis.
She could not brag of her triumphs
nor repeat the friendly chat with
Mr.. Strong. It would be such fun
to see his surprise at the news
he had so lately patronized her.
You are not the stuff of which
creative artists are made, of
course"
Tra-la-la! She'd made him eat
those words.
The she began at once to do
the next story of the series. and
by the time she reached the club
she had It all thought out. 1t was
then that Jarvis telephone mes
sage came to her. and she decided
that he was even now reading his
PLAY aloud to Belasco; SO he, too,
had found a golden key.
She worked on the new story all
the afternoon, and waited for
Jarvis triumphant return, in a
seventh heaven of joyous anticipa-
tion.
Jarvis marshalled his reluctant
feet into Forward, march,"
down the hall, and trod softly in
the hope that he could get past
Bambi's door; but at his first step
on the corridor IL was flung open,