. Life had seemed
a bit lonely as he glanced down the years. It would never be lonely
now. He would take such pleasure in making her happy.

"Yes," he went on. "I'll get a pretty home and we will always be
together."

CHAPTER XIV

THE REAL FAIRYLAND

That evening the two cousins on the Warren side came in, Isabel and
Willis Firth. Isabel was just the age of Edith and Willis, older. The
children gave up their hour cheerfully. There was so much to talk
about, and the school was going to have an entertainment--"The Dance
of All Nations."

"I suppose not quite _all_," said Isabel, "though the boys are to give
an Indian dance in costume, and the Dutch dance is in clogs, and oh,
you can't imagine how funny and clumpy it sounds, but it is real
pretty with the aprons and the caps, but the Spanish is beautiful with
castanets. You must all come. Is your friend staying long?"

"I think"--rather hesitatingly, "we will go home next week."

"Oh, that will be too bad, and the dance is to be two weeks from
tomorrow, in the afternoon, in a hall. It will be splendid!"

"I suppose this is the little cousin who came after the fortune,"
said Willis, "isn't it nice to have a fortune left to you?"

"I hardly know"--hesitatingly.

"Oh my! I'd know quick enough," laughed the boy. "Isabel wouldn't it
be fine enough to have ten or twelve thousand left to us? I'd be sure
of going to college."

"The University ought to be good enough for city boys," said Uncle
Warren.

They played authors for a while "because they could talk" Willis said.
Then Aunt Warren played for them to dance. At first Marilla
hesitated.

"Oh, it's only three-step" exclaimed Edith. "I'll show you, and if you
danced at the King's ball----"

She found she could dance easy enough. It was quite delightful. Her
eyes were bright, her cheeks like roses.

Then they tried several other pretty dances, and spiced them with much
laughter. Oh, how gay they were.

"Who was it said something about the King's ball?" asked Willis. "Was
it a make believe?"

"Oh it is the prettiest thing!" replied Edith.

"You see, Cousin Marilla sat alone in the kitchen one night when the
maid had gone out and a fairy godmother came and asked her if she
didn't want to go to the ball. Finding her in the kitchen you see she
took her for Cinderella, and she touched her with her wand--now
Marilla, go on, I couldn't tell it half as delightfully as you do; you
make it so real."

Man