uld see all the things he has made himself--little
mechanical businesses that you can't buy. He is going to let me watch
him when he is at work. I fancy he felt a bit bad when Phil ate
humble-pie, and wants to make up by being extra amiable and friendly."

It was just as well that the Hermit had been conciliated, for in the
days which followed Hope was constantly practising her songs and
reciting her story to an imaginary audience in the drawing-room. Mary,
sweeping the tiny hall, would open her eyes in amazement as a voice
cried dramatically: "Fairy Godmother! Fairy Godmother! can you not help
me now? I'm so lonely up here in this deserted tower. Is the spell not
broken yet, dear Godmother?" And the fairy answered: "Patience,
Princess Chrystal! Wait but a few hours longer. To-morrow morn, as the
sun creeps round the corner of the poplar tree, look out of your
casement window, and you will see"--Mary was all agape to know what the
Princess Chrystal would see, but Philippa came bustling out of the
dining-room and, half-laughing, half-frowning, sent her about her work.
Later on a message-boy who was waiting for an answer to a note grew
quite pale with agitation as an unseen giant hissed out, "To your knees,
rash youth! Before another hour is past you shall be chained in the
lowest dungeon beneath the castle moat!" It was really quite alarming,
and the message-boy informed his companions who were waiting for him in
the road below that there was a lunatic upstairs, who was raging and
carrying on "somethink krool."

The first performance was a nervous occasion, and Hope realised the full
difficulty of the task which she had undertaken when she stood upon the
platform of the mission-room vainly trying to gain a hearing from a
crowd of noisy, excited children. Appeal was useless, but at length the
happy idea struck her to begin with a song; so down she sat at the
piano, struck up a lively air, and gave the first verse with such spirit
and go that at the word "Chorus!" there was quite a creditable attempt
at the refrain. After that it was comparatively easy to keep the
attention which she had gained, although she had rarely before
experienced such tiring work. For a first attempt the performance was a
distinct success--ay, more than a success--for it proved the existence
of many weak spots, demanded more prominence for dramatic incidents, and
proved that, given time and experience, she need not fear the most
crit