elieve in fairies too.

"The boy went on to explain that this magician appeared exactly like other
men, so that few guessed his mysterious power. He lived in a house quite
like other houses except that its door was painted black; but behind this
door lay a tiger, always ready to spring upon any one who tried to enter.
On this great tiger in some way depended the magician's power.

"There had been a fire in the village recently, which, the boy said, had
been caused by the magician, as well as certain other calamities, such as
scarlet-fever and measles, and the time had come when this must be
stopped. The boy claimed to have discovered--he did not say how--that the
magician's tiger had three white whiskers, all the rest being black, and
in these white whiskers resided all his power. If in any way they could be
removed, he and his master would be harmless forevermore.

"But how was this to be done? the little girl wanted to know, feeling
deeply impressed meanwhile by the tragedy of the situation.

"The only way, the boy replied, was to catch the tiger while he slept, and
then--a snip of the scissors, and he could do no more harm. The little
girl had some round-pointed scissors hanging from a ribbon around her
neck, for she was fond of cutting things; she took them in her hand now
and looked at them with a shiver as the boy added in a tragic whisper,
'_We_ must do it!'

"Although she was very much afraid, she never thought of objecting. It was
her duty, and she had great confidence in her companion. He could do many
things she couldn't do, and he was ten and she only six; so when he
examined the scissors and said they would answer, without a word of
objection she slipped down from the fence and trotted beside him.

"It seemed quite natural that the way should be over fences and through
back yards instead of along the street. They climbed rails and squeezed
through hedges until the little girl was breathless and had not the least
idea where she was, when she found herself in a narrow garden-path, on
either side of which grew hollyhocks and sunflowers.

"'There is the door,' the boy whispered; and--yes--at the end of the path
she saw the black door.

"'This is the hour when he sleeps,' the boy said, in thrilling tones,
looking at an imaginary watch. 'We have timed it well. I will open the
door softly, and you have your scissors ready; I will hold him while you
cut off the whiskers.' The little girl's heart almost stopp