glad you're all right now," said Wiggs politely.

"Thanks to you, my child. I must reward you. Take this ring. When
you have been good for a whole day, you can have one good wish; when
you have been bad for a whole day, you can have one bad wish. One
good wish and one bad wish--that is all it will allow anybody to
have."

With these words she vanished and left Wiggs alone with the ring.

So, ever after that, Wiggs tried desperately hard to be good and have
the good wish, but it was difficult work. Something always went wrong;
she tore her apron or read books when she ought to have been dusting,
or---- Well, you or I would probably have given it up at once, and
devoted ourselves to earning the bad wish. But Wiggs was a nice
little girl.

"And, oh, I _do_ so want to be good," said Wiggs earnestly to the
Princess, "so that I could wish to dance like a fairy." She had a
sudden anxiety. "That _is_ a good wish, _isn't_ it?"

"It's a lovely wish; but I'm sure you could dance now if you tried."

"I can't," said Wiggs. "I always dance like this."

She jumped up and danced a few steps. Wiggs was a dear little girl,
but her dancing reminded you of a very dusty road going up-hill all
the way, with nothing but suet-puddings waiting for you on the top.
Something like that.

"It isn't _really_ graceful, is it?" she said candidly, as she came to
rest.

"Well, I suppose the fairies _do_ dance better than that."

"So that's why I want to be good, so as I can have my wish."

"I really must see this ring," said the Princess. "It sounds
fascinating." She looked coldly in front of her and added,
"Good-morning, Countess." (How long had the woman been there?)

"Good-morning, your Royal Highness. I ventured to come up
unannounced. Ah, sweet child." She waved a caressing hand at Wiggs.

(Even if she had overheard anything, it had only been child's talk.)

"What is it?" asked the Princess. She took a firm hold of the arms of
her chair. She would _not_, _not_, _not_ give way to the Countess
this time.

"The merest matter of business, your Royal Highness. Just this scheme
for the Encouragement of Literature. Your Royal Highness very wisely
decided that in the absence of the men on the sterner business of
fighting it was the part of us women to encourage the gentler arts;
and for this purpose . . . there was some talk of a competition,
and--er----"

"Ah, yes," said Hyacinth nervously. "I will look into that