ain if it were so. They did not feel safe until they
reached the gate of Hotel Fancy.

"Shall we put it in the back yard or in the stable?" said the little
fellows in a hoarse whisper.

"Put it in the corner of the stable," said Norah, "as we have not got a
horse no one goes in there. We will manage the rest, _thank you_ so
much."

"_Please_ don't thank us," said the little men, "dwarfs are not used to
that, and it hurts their feelings."

"Well, here is something for your labours," said Karl, and he gave the
little men a handful of silver. They turned it over and over and seemed
to regard it as a great curiosity. Then they heard a movement in the
house, and quick as lightning they were off before Karl and Norah could
say good-bye.

Mr O'Brian was pacing up and down in a great state of agitation; it was
nearly midnight and he feared they might have met with an accident.
"There's no depending on the fairies," he said to himself, "and dwarfs
are said to be treacherous," so you see he knew something of what Norah
was up to.

His joy was the greater when Norah and Karl rushed in and dragging him
to the stables showed him the pile of gold. "I'll be for taking it to
the bank at once," he said, "you never know but what it may melt away,
or turn into a heap of leaves, I've read stories like that."

"Our wedding shall be next week," said Karl, joyfully.

"And aren't you going to give me any time to get my trousseau?" said
Norah with a dancing light in her eyes that made her look more
enchanting than ever. "Sure and I'll be wanting the finest trousseau
that ever a princess had."

"We'll turn Hotel Fancy into a palace," said Mr O'Brian.

The wedding was celebrated three weeks from this date, as they had
agreed. Norah wore an exquisitely soft cream silk gown, embroidered with
real gold; it was said that the embroidery was a present from the
dwarfs. Certain it is too that she wore an old pearl necklace of such
marvellous workmanship that the like was never seen before.

The tale was whispered that a little deformed man had been seen to slip
a parcel containing the necklace into the letter-box.

Norah's relations came over from Ireland to be present at the wedding,
and you may be sure that Karl's mother arrived too all the way from
Pomerania to share the festivities and the cake. Hotel Fancy was crammed
with guests; every available room was occupied; there was some talk
already of enlarging the house.

One of the pres