She went on calmly, with lowered lids and a rising flush: "I have here thirteen proposals of marriage--one from each of you. It is most flattering to me, for I esteem you all. You are all heroes except Mr. Winans," with a naughty bow in Earle's direction. "I like you all, but there is only one Ladybird, so twelve of you must be disappointed." Aura Stanley, from her ambush, heard twelve distinct sighs, and shook with envious rage. "The simpletons!" she muttered. "Why don't they go home? Can't they see that she is just turning them into ridicule to please her wicked vanity?" But surprise and curiosity combined kept Ladybird's lovers standing like statues awaiting the end. "I wish now that only one of you had jumped in the river to save me yesterday!" cried Ladybird wistfully. "Then I would have accepted the hero's offer. Now there's only one way out of my dilemma." At their surprised looks the willful girl smiled entrancingly and murmured: "You shall all draw lots for me. Mr. Gray, your hat, please. See, here are thirteen slips of paper--one with my name, and twelve blank. You may each draw one slip. Marriage is a lottery, I've often heard, so this may turn out as well as any." It was ridiculous, farcical, but the mischievous elf seemed in such positive earnest that twelve of her adorers entered smilingly into the spirit of the novel lottery. Not so with Earle Winans. He stood aloof, amazed, insulted, his eyes flashing. "There remains only one slip," Ladybird said in a tremulous voice, and she looked at him. Earle had drawn near to the door. He turned his angry eyes on her fair wistful face, and his glance expressed cold contempt. "I beg your pardon. I decline," he said haughtily. "As you please," she answered coolly, and turned over the remaining strip. It bore her own name! When Earle saw that he started forward as though to retract his rash words and win her yet. But Ladybird had already turned her back on him, and shrugging her willful shoulders she laughed: "The prize is left in the bottom, like the evils in Pandora's box." "Ah, but the lottery wasn't fair, since Mr. Winans refused to draw. Let us try it over again!" cried Mark Gwinn eagerly. "Very well," she answered lightly, but the mirth had gone out of her voice. It was low and tremulous, for Ladybird knew now she was vanquished by those grim sisters, the Fates. They tried again, and the slip with her name fell to Jack Tennant. "I am the most fortunate man in the whole world!" cried the winner with beaming eyes. Ladybird laughed merrily and cried out quickly: "But there is a condition attached to the prize that I forgot to mention at first. It is that you will have to wait ten years for me!" "Ten years is an eternity!" he exclaimed remonstratingly. "You think so?" she cried saucily. "Then I will not hold you bound to marry me." "But I shall hold your promise, Ladybird, for I would wait twenty years for such a prize!" protested the young man gallantly.