it solemnly, and said, "I am very glad to know you. Can I sit
up here beside you, or do you rule alone?"

"Yes, ma'am--yes, sir," answered the little girl.

Van Bibber put his hands on the arms of the throne and
vaulted up beside the girl, and pulled out the flower in his
button-hole and gave it to her.

"Now," prompted the wardrobe woman, "what do you say to
the gentleman?"

"Thank you, sir," stammered the little girl.

"She is not much used to gentlemen's society," explained
the woman who was pulling on the stockings.

"I see," said Van Bibber. He did not know exactly what
to say next. And yet he wanted to talk to the child very
much, so much more than he generally wanted to talk to most
young women, who showed no hesitation in talking to him. With
them he had no difficulty whatsoever. There was a doll lying
on the top of a chest near them, and he picked this up and
surveyed it critically. "Is this your doll?" he asked.

"No," said Madeline, pointing to one of the children, who
was much taller than herself; " it's 'at 'ittle durl's. My
doll he's dead."

"Dear me!" said Van Bibber. He made a mental note to get