ct anybody to love you."

"I do!" cried Pon. "I shall always love her."

"Well, you're just a gardener's boy," replied Trot, "and I didn't think
you 'mounted to much, from the first. I can love the old Princess
Gloria, with a warm heart an' nice manners, but this one gives me the
shivers."

"It's her icy heart, that's all," said Pon.

"That's enough," insisted Trot. "Seeing her heart isn't big enough to
skate on, I can't see that she's of any use to anyone. For my part, I'm
goin' to try to find Button-Bright an' Cap'n Bill."

"I will go with you," decided Pon. "It is evident that Gloria no longer
loves me and that her heart is frozen too stiff for me to melt it with
my own love; therefore I may as well help you to find your friends."

As Trot started off, Pon cast one more imploring look at the Princess,
who returned it with a chilly stare. So he followed after the little
girl.

As for the Princess, she hesitated a moment and then turned in the same
direction the others had taken, but going far more slowly. Soon she
heard footsteps pattering behind her, and up came Googly-Goo, a little
out of breath with running.

"Stop, Gloria!" he cried. "I have come to take you back to my mansion,
where we are to be married."

She looked at him wonderingly a moment, then tossed her head
disdainfully and walked on. But Googly-Goo kept beside her.

"What does this mean?" he demanded. "Haven't you discovered that you no
longer love that gardener's boy, who stood in my way?"

"Yes; I have discovered it," she replied. "My heart is frozen to all
mortal loves. I cannot love you, or Pon, or the cruel King my uncle, or
even myself. Go your way, Googly-Goo, for I will wed no one at all."

He stopped in dismay when he heard this, but in another minute he
exclaimed angrily:

"You must wed me, Princess Gloria, whether you want to or not! I paid
to have your heart frozen; I also paid the King to permit our marriage.
If you now refuse me it will mean that I have been
robbed--robbed--robbed of my precious money and jewels!"

He almost wept with despair, but she laughed a cold, bitter laugh and
passed on. Googly-Goo caught at her arm, as if to restrain her, but she
whirled and dealt him a blow that sent him reeling into a ditch beside
the path. Here he lay for a long time, half covered by muddy water,
dazed with surprise.

Finally the old courtier arose, dripping, and climbed from the ditch.
The Princess had gone; so, muttering thr