r
Christmas-time?'

The children looked at it with one gasp of horror and surprise, for
the youngest of them knew that it is far from manners to notice that
strangers have been crying, and much worse to ask them the reason of
their tears. And, of course, the lady began to cry again, very much
indeed, after calling the Phoenix a bird without a heart; and she could
not find her handkerchief, so Anthea offered hers, which was still very
damp and no use at all. She also hugged the lady, and this seemed to be
of more use than the handkerchief, so that presently the lady stopped
crying, and found her own handkerchief and dried her eyes, and called
Anthea a cherished angel.

'I am sorry we came just when you were so sad,' said Anthea, 'but we
really only wanted to ask you whose that castle is on the hill.'

'Oh, my little angel,' said the poor lady, sniffing, 'to-day and for
hundreds of years the castle is to us, to our family. To-morrow it must
that I sell it to some strangers--and my little Henri, who ignores
all, he will not have never the lands paternal. But what will you? His
father, my brother--Mr the Marquis--has spent much of money, and it the
must, despite the sentiments of familial respect, that I admit that my
sainted father he also--'

'How would you feel if you found a lot of money--hundreds and thousands
of gold pieces?' asked Cyril.

The lady smiled sadly.

'Ah! one has already recounted to you the legend?' she said. 'It is
true that one says that it is long time; oh! but long time, one of our
ancestors has hid a treasure--of gold, and of gold, and of gold--enough
to enrich my little Henri for the life. But all that, my children, it is
but the accounts of fays--'

'She means fairy stories,' whispered the Phoenix to Robert. 'Tell her
what you have found.'

So Robert told, while Anthea and Jane hugged the lady for fear she
should faint for joy, like people in books, and they hugged her with the
earnest, joyous hugs of unselfish delight.

'It's no use explaining how we got in,' said Robert, when he had told
of the finding of the treasure, 'because you would find it a little
difficult to understand, and much more difficult to believe. But we can
show you where the gold is and help you to fetch it away.'

The lady looked doubtfully at Robert as she absently returned the hugs
of the girls.

'No, he's not making it up,' said Anthea; 'it's true, TRUE, TRUE!--and
we are so glad.'

'You would not be capab