e. They decided, after much
deliberation, to let Williams into their secret, and show him their
offering, so that he would surely consent to drive them to Rushing
Waters.

"We'll just about get it in before the snow comes," agreed Williams,
scanning the sky with that anxiety to which Robin had grown very
familiar. "A Queen, you say? Well, what do you think of that!" He
laughed uproariously.

"We're not exactly _sure_, but we have our suspicions," corrected Beryl
in a freezing tone.

"And please don't tell a soul because we really have no right to force
ourselves on her if she wants to hide away," begged Robin.

Williams promised with a chuckle. "Funny kids," he said to himself,
enjoying, nevertheless, the adventure. "I'll do the sleuth stuff in the
corner store while you two are interviewing the Duchess--I beg pardon,
the Queen."

The girls left Williams, as he suggested, at the little store, while
they, tugging their basket between them, found and followed the path by
the Rushing Water. It was as alluring as ever--berries still clung to
the undergrowth, gleaming red against the dark of the fir trees; the
dead leaves underfoot crackled softly as though protesting their
intrusion; there was a whirring of wings and always the rush of the
water.

"I'd forgotten how spooky it was," cried Beryl, drawing in her breath.

"I hope she won't be sorry we came."

This time Robin knocked. As before, Brina opened the door a little way.
When she saw the two girls she scowled, but stepped backward, announcing
their presence in crisp German.

The mistress of the house rose a little hastily from the table before
which she was sitting. She was dressed, now, in a warm, trailing robe of
soft velvet, a band of ermine circling her neck and crossing over her
breast, where it was held in place by a brooch of flashing gems. At
sight of her visitors her face softened from haughty surprise to a
resigned amusement. Robin broke the silence.

"May we come in? We thought we'd like--that maybe you'd like--" Oh, it
was dreadful to know what to say, when all the time you were thinking
she really was a Queen!

"You have stumbled upon my little house again? Come in and sit down.
Brina and I do not often have callers; you must pardon us if, perhaps,
we are a little awkward in our hospitality. Caesar, lie down _He_ is glad
to see you! I have been looking over a book of colored prints of old
cathedrals. Would you like to pull your chairs up to