rue, she had told the
Princess all about it, but----

Suddenly she remembered. The Countess had had it in her hands for a
moment. Yes, and she had sent her out of the room, and--

So many thoughts crowded into Wiggs's mind at this moment that she
felt she must share them with somebody. She ran off to find the
Princess.

CHAPTER XIV

"WHY CAN'T YOU BE LIKE WIGGS?"

Hyacinth was with Udo in the library. Udo spent much of his time in
the library nowadays; for surely in one of those many books was to be
found some Advice to a Gentleman in Temporary Difficulties suitable to
a case like his. Hyacinth kept him company sadly. It had been such a
brilliant idea inviting him to Euralia; how she wished now that she
had never done it.

"Well, Wiggs," she said, with a gentle smile, "what have you been
doing with yourself all the morning?"

Udo looked up from his mat and nodded to her.

"I've found out," said Wiggs excitedly; "it was the _Countess_ who did
it."

Udo surveyed her with amazement.

"The Princess Hyacinth," he said, "has golden hair. One discovers
these things gradually." And he returned to his book.

Wiggs looked bewildered.

"He means, dear," said Hyacinth, "that it is quite obvious that the
Countess did it, and we have known about it for days."

Udo wore, as far as his face would permit, the slightly puffy
expression of one who has just said something profoundly ironical and
is feeling self-conscious about it.

"Oh--h," said Wiggs in such a disappointed voice that it seemed as if
she were going to cry.

Hyacinth, like the dear that she was, made haste to comfort her.

"We didn't really _know_," she said; "we only guessed it. But now
that you have found out, I shall be able to punish her properly. No,
don't come with me," she said, as she rose and moved towards the door;
"stay here and help his Royal Highness. Perhaps you can find the book
that he wants; you've read more of them than I have, I expect."

Left alone with the Prince, Wiggs was silent for a little, looking at
him rather anxiously.

"Do you know _all_ about the Countess?" she asked at last.

"If there's anything I don't know, it must be _very_ bad."

"Then you know that it's all my fault that you are like this? Oh,
dear Prince Udo, I am so dreadfully sorry."

"What do you mean--_your_ fault?"

"Because it was my ring that did it."

Udo scratched his head in a slightly puzzled but quite a nice way.

"Tell me al