me across a Fairy Prince, eh!" commented Clarence, and wondered the
next moment whether he mightn't have said something to commit himself.

"I hope not," said Ruby, slipping her hand affectionately through
Daphne's arm, "because then she'd leave me, and I should never see her
again!"

"I shouldn't worry about it just yet, darling," said Daphne, smiling.
"Fairy Princes are only to be found in their own country--and it's a
long way from here to Fairyland."

Clarence was noticing, not for the first time, that her full face was
shaped like a shield, also that two fascinating little creases came in
it when she smiled, and her pretty grey eyes had a soft sparkle in them.
"I must be jolly careful," he told himself.

"I should prefer, Miss Heritage," said Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson, who had
overheard the last sentence, "that Ruby was not encouraged to fill her
head with Fairy tales. I don't think them good for her."

"Oh, come, Mater!" protested Clarence, unable to resist the _role_ of
Champion. "Where on earth is the harm of them."

"Surely, Clarence," Edna put in instructively, "there is _this_
harm--they give such an utterly false impression of what life really
_is_! That's why I've never been able to take any interest in them."

"More likely," said Clarence, "because you've got no imagination."

"If I hadn't," retorted Edna, "I should hardly have got through the
Poetry I have. Most of Browning and Alfred Austin, and all Ella Wheeler
Wilcox! It's only the lowest degree of imagination that invents things
that couldn't possibly have happened!"

"They may have left off, Edna, but they happened _once_," declared Ruby.
"I know there _used_ to be Fairyland somewhere, with Kings and Queens
and Fairy Godmothers and enchanted castles and magicians and Ogres and
Dragons and things in it. And Miss Heritage believes it, too--_don't_
you, Miss Heritage, dear?"

"I'm much mistaken in Miss Heritage, my dear," said Mr. Stimpson
gallantly, "if her head isn't too well screwed on (if she'll allow me to
say so) to believe in any such stuff. All very well for the Nursery, you
know, but not to be taken seriously, or ... why, what's that? Most
extraordinary noise! Seems to come from outside, overhead."

They could all hear a strange kind of flapping whirr in the air, it grew
nearer and louder and then suddenly ceased.

"Aeroplane," pronounced Clarence, drawing the window curtains and
looking out. "Miles away by now, though. Terrific pace