Margaret Elizabeth laughed. "That makes it all right, I suppose; and if
he picked me up--But who is the Miser?"

"He lives over there," Virginia pointed toward the front window, "in
that stone house with the vine on it. Aleck says he has rooms and rooms
full of money."

The house she indicated was almost black with time and soot, but its
fine proportions suggested spacious, high-ceiled rooms, and whatever its
present condition, a past of dignity and importance.

"How extremely interesting! What a remarkable neighbourhood this seems
to be!"

"Is it like a fairy-tale where you stay when you aren't here?" Virginia
asked.

Sudden illumination came to Margaret Elizabeth. "That is just what it
isn't," she cried. "It's splendid and beautiful, and all sorts of
things, except a fairy-tale. I wonder why? I love fairy-tales and Little
Red Chimneys."

"So does the Candy Man," exclaimed Virginia, charmed at the coincidence.
"It must be fun to be a Candy Man," she continued. "It isn't much like
a fairy-tale where I live. I should like to live in a sure-enough house
with stairs."

"You talk like a squirrel who lives in a tree. And speaking of squirrels,
you and I must buy some nuts for our bunny sometime, from this Candy