d to see that her bright eyes had grown a little clouded.

"We've no kings in my country," she said, taking my hand in hers.

"Oh, I wish I'd been born there," said I; then we looked at one another
for a minute, and I put out my arms and took hold of her, and drew her
face near mine. With a little gulp in her throat she sprang up, caught
me in her arms, kissed me a dozen times, and threw herself into the big
chair with me on her knees. Now I was crying, and yet half laughing; so
I believe was she. We did not say very much more to one another. Soon I
stopped crying; she looked at me, and we both laughed.

"What babies we are, your Majesty!" said she.

"They might let me do a little more, mightn't they? It's all Krak, you
know. Mother wouldn't be half so bad without Krak."

"Oh, my dear, and is Krak so horrid?"

"Horrid," said I, with grave emphasis.

The Countess kissed me again.

"You'll grow up soon," she said. Somehow the assurance comforted me more
from her lips than from Victoria's. "Will you be nice to me when you
grow up?"

"I shall always be very, very fond of you," said I.

She laughed a funny little laugh, and then sighed.

"If God sends me a little son, I hope he'll be like you," she whispered,
with her cheek against mine.

"He won't be a king," said I with a sigh of envy.

"You poor dear!" cooed she.

Then came my mother's clear, high-bred voice, just outside the door,
descanting on the beauty of the Count's parterres and orangery. A swift
warning glance flew from me to my hostess. I scampered off my perch, and
she stood up in respectful readiness for the entrance of Princess
Heinrich.

"Don't tell mother," I whispered urgently.

"Not a word!"

"Whatever they do to you?"

"No, whatever they do to me!"

My mother was in the room, the Count holding the door for her and
closing it as she passed through. I felt her glance rest on me for a
moment; then she turned to the Countess and expressed all proper
admiration of the gardens, the house, and the whole demesne.

"And I hope Augustin has been a good boy?" she ended.

"The King has been very good, madame," returned the Countess. Then she
looked in an inquiring way at her husband, as though she did not quite
know whether she were right or not, and with a bright blush added, "If
you would let him come again some day, madame!"

My mother smiled quite graciously.

"You mustn't leave me out of the invitation," she said. "We will both
come,