ains to deal with the Horse. I go to give him the due
reward of his deeds," the Rabbit remarked, taking up his drum and
preparing to leave. But pausing a moment he added to the Owl: "With
regard to you, my good friend, if ever an opportunity arises by which I
can show you my gratitude for your kind services, rest assured that I
shall eagerly avail myself of it."

Now, the next morning the woman who keeps this shop spoke severely to
her own little girl.

"You have been touching the toys and damaging them," she said with
anger. "See what mischief you have done! You have knocked off the head
of this mouse--and, what is more, I can't find it anywhere,--you have
rubbed all the paint off this sentry's face, and you have broken the
glass eyes of this brown horse. You shall be punished."

The little girl began to whimper.

"I have not hurt the toys," she said. "I have never touched them since
you put me to bed for breaking the baby doll."

The woman looked puzzled: "If you say you haven't, you haven't, I
suppose," she said, "for I know you are a truthful child. Then how has
it happened? I shouldn't think any customer would do it without my
noticing. I can't understand it."

Nor can she to this day. But we can: you, the Rabbit, the Owl, the
Sentry, the Horse, and myself. But not the Mouse, for he has lost his
head.

CHAPTER III

Here the little Marionette paused.

"That is all," she said.

"What a good thing that the Mouse had his head bitten off," said the
little girl thoughtfully.

"It was just as well," the Marionette answered, "since he could use it
to no better purpose."

"Some of the toys were very wicked in that story, I think; dreadfully
wicked."

"I think the same. They were bad, wicked toys, with bad, wicked ways."

"Are many of the toys you know as wicked as that?" asked Molly.

"Oh, dear no!" said the little Marionette, quite shocked. "Most of my
friends and acquaintances are really wonderfully well-behaved."

"Do you know, I should like you next time to tell me about one of them."

"About some one simple, perhaps?"

"Yes, I think so."

The little Marionette thought a moment.

Then she said: "I know of no one more simple than Belinda."

"Tell me about her, if you please."

"Very good. You shall hear of Belinda and her simplicity."

So the next day she told her friend the story of "Belinda."

BELINDA

Belinda was a little wax doll who had a most charming way of opening