en't
seen you with it for a long while--how is that?"

"Well, you see, Court Godmother, my Crown jewels seem to suit me so much
better."

"Then, if you don't want that pendant yourself, you had better give it
to your son."

"To Clarence?" cried the Queen. "Why, what use would it be to him?"

"It is a jewel which any Prince might be proud to wear," said the Fairy;
"and I should strongly advise you to see that he wears it. Not merely
now and then, but constantly. It may--mind, I don't say it _will_--but
it _may_ bring him better luck than he has enjoyed as yet."

"But really, Godmother, I can't quite believe that a thing--" began the
Queen, when the Fairy cut her short unceremoniously.

"I've no time to stay here arguing about it," she said; "my doves will
be catching cold if they stand about any longer. By all means don't take
my advice if you don't believe in it; I merely thought you might find it
worth trying--but you must please yourself. And now, with your
permission, I'll take my leave of you."

At a sign from her, the team of doves fluttered up in a snow-white cloud
and winged their flight to the neighbouring Kingdom of Clairdelune,
where she had another Royal Godson, Prince Mirliflor, in whose affairs
she took a keener interest than she could in Clarence's.

"Old people have such queer ideas," thought Queen Selina, as the chariot
rapidly receded from sight. "As if that twopenny-halfpenny pendant of
Miss Heritage's could--but the Court Godmother will be annoyed if I
don't follow her advice--and it's best not to offend the old creature.
I'll go up and see if it's still in my jewel case."

It was, and she brought it down in time to intercept Clarence as he was
starting in rather low spirits for another crowded hour of anything but
glorious life in the Riding Court.

"Clarence, my boy," she said, "I want you to oblige me by wearing this
in future."

"What--that thing you bought before we came away!" he replied. "I say,
Mater, you _don't_ expect me to go about with a woman's pendant on my
manly bosom!"

"Your Godmother Vogelflug thinks it is quite a fit ornament for a
Prince," urged his mother, "and--and she as much as said that it would
bring you good-luck."

"Did she, though? Well, I could do with a bit of that for a change." And
he allowed her to fasten the chain round his neck. "By Gad, makes me
feel like a Good Forester or a Member of the Ancient Order of Buffaloes
or something!" he remarked.

"