of dawn and a chilly wind were coming up together. He could have
believed the whole thing a strangely vivid dream until he thrust
his hand into his side pocket and found it stuffed with ashes.
Then he knew for certain it was fairy gold they had given him.
He could feel all their pinches and pricks still, though there was
never a bruise upon him. And in that manner, and so suddenly,
Mr. Skelmersdale came out of Fairyland back into this world of men.
Even then he fancied the thing was but the matter of a night until
he returned to the shop at Aldington Corner and discovered amidst
their astonishment that he had been away three weeks.

"Lor'! the trouble I 'ad!" said Mr. Skelmersdale.

"How?"

"Explaining. I suppose you've never had anything like that to explain."

"Never," I said, and he expatiated for a time on the behaviour of
this person and that. One name he avoided for a space.

"And Millie?" said I at last.

"I didn't seem to care a bit for seeing Millie," he said.

"I expect she seemed changed?"

"Every one was changed. Changed for good. Every one seemed big,
you know, and coarse. And their voices seemed loud. Why, the sun,
when it rose in the morning, fair hit me in the eye!"