u are about
to discover other unsuspected elements in your offspring."

"My dear, I'm so excited now I'm counting backward. Don't explode
anything on me or I'll lose control."

"The secret is coming out to-night."

"Is it painful?"

"No, it's heavenly!"

Jarvis rapped.

"May I come in?"

"Yes."

He stood on the threshold a moment, a truly magnificent figure in his
evening clothes.

"Jarvis!" breathed Bambi.

"Bambi!" exclaimed Jarvis, and they stood a-gaze. She recovered first.

"Do you like me?" she coquetted.

He walked about her slowly, considering her from all sides.

"Ariel!" he said at last.

"Oh, thank you, Apollo," she laughed, to cover the lump in her throat at
his awed admiration.

They sent Ardelia's supper up to her, and the rest of them made an
attempt at dining, but nobody could eat a thing. Bambi talked
incessantly from excitement, and all eyes in the dining-room were
focussed upon her.

Ardelia was in a tremor of pride when they went upstairs again. She
shone like ebony, and grinned like a Hindoo idol. They admired her, to
her heart's content, and she descended to the cab in a state of
sinful pride.

Although they were early, the motors were already unloading before the
theatre. They were to sit in the stage box, and as soon as the rest of
them were seated Bambi went back on the stage to say good-evening to the
company. The first-night excitement prevailed back there. Every member
of the company was dressed and made up a good half hour too soon. They
all assured the perturbed author that she need have no fears, everything
would go off in fine shape. Somewhat relieved, she started to go out
front, when she ran into Mr. Frohman.

"Good-evening. If you are as well as you look, you're all right," he
smiled at her.

"I feel like a loaded mine about to blow to pieces," she answered.

"Hold on for a couple of hours more. Does Jarvis know yet?"

"Not yet."

He laughed and went on. Bambi returned to the box, where she sat far
back in the corner. The house was filling fast now. More than a little
interest was evinced in the strange box party of big Jarvis, the
Professor, and Ardelia. Richard Strong nodded and smiled from a
nearby seat.

"We should have come in late, just as the curtain rose," whispered
Bambi. "We must not be so green again."

"Why so, daughter?"

"Then we wouldn't be stared at."

"Are we stared at? By whom?"

The overture interrupted her reply. The seats wer