anything as wonderful as the things we've seen!_"

To which the first sister replied with a sigh--"Poor Cinderella!"

But Cinderella only turned away from them that she might hide the
secret in her eyes. She sat down before the fireplace, and the two
sisters seated themselves on either side of her. None of them had
taken the slightest notice of the figure at the wooden table in the
middle of the room.

Cinderella seemed to be dreaming again, while the two sisters were
plainly overflowing with excitement. They glanced at each other across
Cinderella as if to say, "Shall we tell her?" And each nodded eagerly
to the other.

Then said the second sister: "It is we who have seen the truly
wonderful things, Cinderella."

"Yes," said Cinderella dreamily, "I know."

Said the first sister: "But you don't know--not the half. You know
we've been to the ball, but you don't know what happened there."

Cinderella leaned forward, resting her cheeks in her hands. Her
sisters could not see her eyes. "Tell me what happened," she said.

"The most wonderful princess came to the ball," said the first sister.
"Quite a stranger--not a soul knew her. She was a sensation."

The second sister could scarcely wait to add, "The loveliest creature