.

"Of course," I answered. "Brown-Bangs; Brown-Bangs!" And I wondered how
many witnesses I should have to bribe now! I wished that in the first
place I had said: "It would be unfair to tell you what isn't so, and
dangerous to tell you what is!" But she would have guessed the truth by
that, to a certainty. Sinners always find comfort in good resolutions,
so I resolved to be more circumspect in the future. A gentleman's duty
in my position was to be over circumspect; very much over circumspect,
indeed!

Somewhat indifferently she laid the cigarette case back upon the ground,
happening to put it near a little vine with lavender flowers, shaped
like pon-pons; and in doing this it also happened that one of its tiny
briars clung to her hand.

"Watch," she cried, gaily leaning forward. "Watch the leaves! We call
this the 'shame-face vine,' because whenever it sticks any one every
leaf on that particular stem is overcome with remorse!"

To my amazement the nine delicate leaves on the offending stem began to
hang their heads and curl up, for all the world expressive of deep
humility. It was another of the million or so lessons to be found in
Nature for any one who sees with the right kind of eyes. Of course, I
could have hung my head for that lie about the Browns, although curling
up--at least, after the manner of the shame-face vine--would have
required a contortionist.

"A well named little weed," I laughed. "But what wouldn't be penitent
after hurting such a pretty hand!"

"I was just wondering," she said, ignoring this banality--for which in
my heart I thanked her--"if there are weeds that show embarrassment for
people who tell fibs?"

Now there was no possible way for her to have learned my name!

"You don't think there was any fibbing when I said you were a
sure-'nough princess, do you?"

"Oh, please, let's not talk of that again," she entreated. "I don't want
to be a princess just yet, because it's still very satisfying to have
been taken away from that awful place. I'm so humbly thankful to you,"
she almost whispered, "that just Cinderella without the slipper will
suit me nicely."

Beloved of the gods! If she wasn't at that moment princess, queen and
all the royal families made into one!

"But I must tell you this much," I insisted gently, "and then we won't
speak of it again until you wish. Monsieur says your mother is only
Regent until you come; that your destiny is marked out for you, that by
every law