And they trudged on.

But Peter looked after them--and his heart smote him. They
were clearly of the poorest of the poor. He thought of Hansel
and Gretel. Why had he given them so little? He called to
them to stop.

The little girl came running back.

Peter rose to meet her.

"You may as well buy some ribbons too," he said, and gave her a
couple of lire.

She looked at the money with surprise--even with an appearance
of hesitation. Plainly, it was a sum, in her eyes.

"It's all right. Now run along," said Peter.

"A thousand thanks, Excellency," said she, with a third
courtesy, and rejoined her brother . . . .

"Where are they going?" asked a voice.

Peter faced about.

There stood the Duchessa, in a bicycling costume, her bicycle
beside her. Her bicycling costume was of blue serge, and she
wore a jaunty sailor-hat with a blue ribbon. Peter (in spite
of the commotion in his breast) was able to remember that this