ain, and lose your dragon as well. But I don't suppose for a moment
you are serious. It would be too absurd of you to threaten violence to a
Prince before I've ever seen him or made up my mind to accept him--which
most likely I shall not do."

"That is true," he said, rather as if he were glad of an excuse for not
taking any immediate action. "Yes, I will wait till I hear whether he is
betrothed to you or not. But if I find he _is_, I shall have to clear
him out of my path somehow or other."

He left Edna with the consciousness that she had been more than usually
interested. The Count was certainly developing. She liked his new air of
self-confident domination. It would be rather thrilling, she thought, to
be wooed in this masterful way. But he had taken some pains to let her
see that he was not sure yet whether she was worth the trouble of
wooing! That was insulting, of course, but he might alter his opinion in
time--and then she would know how to avenge herself. She wondered if
Prince Mirliflor would be ardent and domineering enough to carry her by
storm, and caught herself hoping he might be.

But when, shortly afterwards, she heard that he was just entering the
Courtyard of the Palace with his suite, she was seized by a sudden
panic. "_You_ go down and speak to him, Mother," she implored the Queen.
"I--I can't see him just yet. And make him understand that I must get to
know him better before I can give him a definite answer."

Queen Selina bustled down to the State Reception Hall, where she arrived
in a highly flurried condition, just after the Prince and his brilliant
retinue had been ushered in.

"My dear Prince!" she began. "This is really _too_ kind! So delighted by
your proposal--we _all_ are--dear Edna especially. We feel it such a
compliment. My husband--his Majesty, I mean--will be in directly, but
Edna has asked me to make her apologies for not coming down for a few
minutes. The poor child--naturally--is feeling a little shy and
overcome."

"Madam," said the Prince, whose comely face and gallant bearing had
already won him the sympathies of those of the Court who were present,
and particularly the Court Chamberlain's, "I count each minute a month
until I have the happiness of looking upon the enchanting face that has
haunted me constantly from the moment I beheld it in a vision."

"In a vision?" cried the Queen. "How very odd! But how did you know,
Prince, it was our Edna?"

"I will attempt to des