at her.

She felt very puzzled, but seeing that the figure was sitting quite
still in front of the temple, she drew close up to the cabinet again,
and presently she whispered: "Did you nod at me just now?"

The ebony priest bowed his head almost to the ground.

There could be no doubt about it this time. He was a magic priest after
all. Grace did not feel frightened any more. A joyful hope began to
swell in her heart, and she said, "Oh, I'm so glad! You won't go away
and leave us, will you?"

For a moment the figure sat motionless, and then the head gave a most
decided shake, wagging the silver beard from side to side.

"What a dear old darling you are," exclaimed Grace in delight. "But you
know how ill poor mother is, and how much she wants nice things to make
her strong. You will have to get them for her, if you stay, you know."

Again the priest nodded gravely.

"It isn't a very easy thing to do," said Grace, holding up a warning
finger. "My father is ever such a clever man, and he can't always manage
it. Why, he has written a great big book, all on long sheets of
paper--piles, and _piles_, and PILES of them, and even that hasn't done
it! I shouldn't think you could write a book."

The figure of the priest sat perfectly still, and as she talked Grace
thought that the expression on his face grew more solemn than ever, and
even a little cross, so she hastened to say, "Don't be offended, please.
I didn't mean to be rude. I know you must be very magic indeed, or you
couldn't nod your head so beautifully. But do you really think you can
get mother everything the doctor has ordered?"

A fourth time the priest nodded, and this time he did it more
emphatically than ever.

Little Grace clapped her hands softly.

"Oh! _do_ begin at once, there's a dear," she whispered coaxingly.

Very slowly, as if his joints were stiff, the priest raised his arms,
and allowed the golden bar in his hands to revolve in a half-circle; and
then the Indian temple split right down the middle, and the two doors of
the Magic Cabinet swung wide open.

Grace lost sight of the little priest, and the temple, and all the other
wonderful carvings as the folding doors rolled back on their hinges; and
she gazed into the cabinet, wondering what would happen next. She had
often seen the inside of the cabinet, so, beautiful as it was, it was
not new to her, and she felt a little disappointed. Half of the space
was filled up by tiny drawers and cu