to be unpopular," he said. "And if your Majesties
insist on slaying the only living creature that loves me----!"

"What?" put in Clarence unfeelingly, "don't the hearse--I mean the
carriage-horses love you?"

But again the Count took no notice of the question.

"It's too bad of you, Father!" cried Edna indignantly; "yes, and you
too, Mother! To come here at Count Ruprecht's invitation, to see his
dragon and then tell him to destroy it! I think it perfectly disgraceful
of you, and you will get a very bad name in the country when people hear
of it. When you happen to be Sovereigns you might at least _behave_ as
such!"

"Well, well, my dear," said her Mother, who had not considered the
question from this side before, "we merely threw it out as a
suggestion--nothing more. And if the Count will undertake to keep his
dragon under proper control, that is all we shall require of him."

The Count willingly gave this undertaking, and the visit ended without
any loss of cordiality on either side.

"We've seen the dragon, Miss Heritage!" Ruby announced with sparkling
eyes on her return. "And he is such a darling! Do you know, I don't
think the Count can be quite so horrid after all, or Tuetzi wouldn't be
fond of him. Only fancy, Mums and Daddy wanted the Count to have him
killed! But Edna made them say he needn't. _Aren't_ you glad?... Oh, I
forgot--you never really loved my newts. But you _would_ Tuetzi--he's
quite _dry_, you know--not the least bit clammy.... Do you think there's
time before dinner for me to run down and play with the Gnomes?"

"My dearest!" cried Daphne, "surely your Mother doesn't approve of your
doing that?"

"She wouldn't mind if she knew. They're yellow--but quite nice. Much
better fun than those fat little muffs of pages, who are too afraid of
spoiling their clothes to play at anything rough. You don't mind my
having a game of 'I spy' with the Gnomes--just till it's time to dress
for dinner--do you, Miss Heritage?"

"Well, darling," said Daphne, "I'm not allowed any authority over you
now, you know. But I'm quite sure that if her Majesty ever hears of your
running about with Yellow Gnomes, she will blame me for it, and probably
send me away."

"Oh, then I won't any more. Only it will be rather dull without them. I
almost wish sometimes I had lessons to do. But there's nothing for me to
learn. I can understand everything everybody says, and they understand
me. And there aren't any pianos, and His