you suppose that the prince never made use of his wings? Listen to me.
It was discovered by the courtiers who attended on His Royal Highness
that on certain nights, every week, he disappeared. In fact, on these
nights, obedient to the instinct of the wings, he flew from palace
halls into Fairyland; coming back thence all the more lovingly disposed
towards the human home from which he had escaped for a while."

"Oh, my children," interposed the preacher earnestly, "the wings would
be given to us in vain if we did not obey the instinct which allures us
to soar; vain, no less, would be the soaring, were it not towards
the home whence we came, bearing back from its native airs a stronger
health, and a serener joy; more reconciled to the duties of earth by
every new flight into heaven."

As he thus completed the moral of Lily's fairy tale, the girl rose
from her low seat, took his hand, kissed it reverently, and walked away
towards the window. I could see that she was affected even to tears,
which she sought to conceal. Later in the evening, when we were
dispersed on the lawn, for a few minutes before the party broke up, Lily
came to my side timidly and said, in a low whisper,--

"Are you angry with me? what have I done to displease you?"

"Angry with you; displeased? How can you think of me so unjustly?"

"It is so many days since you have called, since I have seen you,"
she said so artlessly, looking up at me with eyes in which tears still
seemed to tremble.

Before I could trust myself to reply, her aunt approached, and noticing
me with a cold and distant "Good-night," led away her niece.

I had calculated on walking back to their home with them, as I generally
have done when we met at another house. But the aunt had probably
conjectured I might be at the vicarage that evening, and in order to
frustrate my intention had engaged a carriage for their return. No doubt
she has been warned against permitting further intimacy with her niece.

My father, I must come to you at once, discharge my promise, and receive
from your own lips your consent to my choice; for you will consent, will
you not? But I wish you to be prepared beforehand, and I shall therefore
put up these disjointed fragments of my commune with my own heart and
with yours, and post them to-morrow. Expect me to follow them after
leaving you a day free to consider them alone,--alone, my dear father:
they are meant for no eye but yours.

K. C.

CHAPT