little Barbara, whom he had never seen before, his soul came into them
with a rush, and a smile like the dawn of an eternal day overspread his
countenance; the dream was nowhere, and the child was in his heart. He
stretched out his arms to her, the child stretched out hers to him, and
in five minutes they were both asleep, each in the other's embrace.

From that night Barbara had a crib in the king's chamber, and as often
as he woke, Irene or Curdie, whichever was watching, took the sleeping
child and laid her in his arms, upon which, invariably and instantly,
the dream would vanish. A great part of the day too she would be
playing on or about the king's bed; and it was a delight to the heart
of the princess to see her amusing herself with the crown, now sitting
upon it, now rolling it hither and thither about the room like a hoop.
Her grandmother entering once while she was pretending to make porridge
in it, held up her hands in horror-struck amazement; but the king would
not allow her to interfere, for the king was now Barbara's playmate,
and his crown their plaything.

The colonel of the guard also was growing better. Curdie went often to
see him. They were soon friends, for the best people understand each
other the easiest, and the grim old warrior loved the miner boy as if
he were at once his son and his angel. He was very anxious about his
regiment. He said the officers were mostly honest men, he believed,
but how they might be doing without him, or what they might resolve, in
ignorance of the real state of affairs, and exposed to every
misrepresentation, who could tell? Curdie proposed that he should send
for the major, offering to be the messenger. The colonel agreed, and
Curdie went--not without his mattock, because of the dogs.

But the officers had been told by the master of the horse that their
colonel was dead, and although they were amazed he should be buried
without the attendance of his regiment, they never doubted the
information. The handwriting itself of their colonel was insufficient,
counteracted by the fresh reports daily current, to destroy the lie.
The major regarded the letter as a trap for the next officer in
command, and sent his orderly to arrest the messenger. But Curdie had
had the wisdom not to wait for an answer.

The king's enemies said that he had first poisoned the good colonel of
the guard, and then murdered the master of the horse, and other
faithful councillors; and tha