ng one. We'll go
there at once, Poppy, and be sure you support me, and say 'Yes' when I
look at you; and if I happen to frown in your direction, you'll know
that I want you to help me not to accept too low a price. Now come,
Poppy; I feel that destiny leads my steps to the office of _The
Joy-bell_."

The editor of _The Joy-bell_ happened also to be disengaged, and after
keeping the young aspirant for literary fame waiting for about a
quarter of an hour, consented to see her and her companion.

Jasmine's interview with this editor caused her to come away in very
high spirits, for he had not only promised most carefully to consider
her poem, "The Flight of the Beautiful," but he had also said he was
wanting a serial story to run through the pages of _The Joy-bell_, and
if hers happened to suit him he would be happy to use it. Finally, she
went away, leaving both her story and her poems in his hands, and with
a large parcel of _Joy-bells_ under her arm.

"I will let you know my decision in a few days," said the editor, with
a very suave smile. "Oh, yes, as to terms, we can talk them over when
I discover if your story is likely to suit me."

Then Jasmine went away trembling with delight.

"Oh, Poppy!" she said, "how very, very happy I am."

CHAPTER XXXIV.

A PLAN.

Mrs. Ellsworthy had by no means forgotten the girls--they had all
three taken her fancy, and, as she said to her husband, she could not
get them out of her head. Arthur Noel, who was a sort of adopted son
of the house, often now brought her information about her favorites,
but the good little lady was impatient to see the girls herself, and
felt much annoyed at not being able to induce Arthur to give her their
address.

"I don't want them to succeed," she said, talking one day to the young
man. "I have plenty of money, more than I really know what to do with,
and I particularly want to spend some of it on these girls. If they
succeed in what they are about they won't want my money, and of course
that is the last thing I wish. If I cannot adopt all three, why at
least can I not have Jasmine?--Jasmine is my favorite, although I love
that little pet Daisy too. Arthur, you may talk to me from morning to
night, but you will never persuade me but that Jasmine is the sort of
girl who would shine better in prosperity than in adversity."

"You cannot take her from her sisters," said Noel; "I do not believe
you would get her to leave them--but if you w