heard, for it was not many that dared stand near to
her, so terribly cold was her presence. The graceful spirit of the South
fluttered her golden locks, and with a little sigh drew her radiant
mantle round her, and kissed her hand in farewell, while the
thoughtful-eyed, mysterious Eastern fairy linked her arm in that of her
Western sister, and whispered that the solution of the problem should
have her most earnest study. And the green-robed spirit tried to smile
through her tears in farewell as she suffered herself to be led away.

So the four strange guests departed; but their absence was not followed
by the usual outburst of unconstrained festivity. On the contrary, a
sense of sorrow and dread hung over all who remained, and before long
everyone not immediately connected with the palace respectfully but
silently withdrew, leaving the King and Queen to their mysterious
sorrow.

Claribel flew to the baby's cradle. The little Princess was sleeping
soundly; she looked rosy and content--a picture of health. Her mother
called eagerly to the King.

"She seems just as usual," she exclaimed. "Perhaps--oh! perhaps after
all I have done no harm."

For, strange to say, her resentment against the Northern fairy had died
away. She now felt nothing but shame and regret for her own wild temper.
"Perhaps," she went on, "it was but to try me, to teach me a lesson,
that the Snow fairy uttered those terrible words."

Brave-Heart pitied his wife deeply, but he shook his head.

"I dare not comfort you with any such hopes," he said, "my poor
Claribel. The fairy is true--true as steel--if you could but have
trusted her! Had you seen her, as I have done--full of tenderest pity
for suffering--you could never have so maligned her."

Claribel did not answer, but her tears dropped on the baby's face. The
little Princess seemed annoyed by them. She put up her tiny hand and,
with a fretful expression, brushed them off.

And that very evening the certainty came.

The head nurse sent for the Queen while she was undressing the child,
and the mother hastened to the nursery. The attendants were standing
round in the greatest anxiety, for, though the baby looked quite well
otherwise, there was the strangest coldness over her left side, in the
region of the heart. The skin looked perfectly colorless, and the soft
cambric and still softer flannel of the finest which had covered the
spot were stiff, as if they had been exposed to a winter night's