ar," said I. "What will you give me for it?"

"Anything," he cried, as he arose and held out his small hand.

"Then listen to me," continued I. "Can you help me to see things as
they are? In that case I shall give you back your cap, but on no other
condition."

"See things as they are?" repeated the gnome, wonderingly.

"Yes, and not only as they seem," rejoined I, with emphasis.

"Return here at midnight," began he, after a long silence. "Upon the
stone where you are sitting you shall find what you want. If you take
it, leave my cap on the same spot."

"That is a fair bargain," said I. "I shall be here promptly at
twelve. Good-night."

I had extended my palm to shake hands with my new friend, but he
seemed to resent my politeness; with a sort of snarl, he turned a
somersault and rolled down the hill-side to where the rocks rise from
the water.

I need not say that I kept my promise about returning. And what did I
find? A pair of spectacles of the most exquisite workmanship; the
glasses so clear as almost to deceive the sight, and the bows of gold
spun into fine elastic threads.

"We shall soon see what they are good for," thought I, as I put them
into the silver case, the wonderful finish of which I could hardly
distinguish by the misty light of the moon.

The little tarn-cap I, of course, left on the stone. As I wandered
homeward through the woods, I thought, with a certain fierce triumph,
that now the beauty of Mabel's face should no more deceive me.

"Now, Mabel," I murmured, "now I shall see you as you are."

III.

At three o'clock in the afternoon I knocked at the door of the
professor's study.

"Come in," said the professor.

"Is--is Mabel at home?" asked I, when I had shaken hands with the
professor and seated myself in one of his hard, straight-backed
chairs.

"She will be down presently," answered he "There is _The Nation_. You
may amuse yourself with that until she comes."

I took up the paper; but the spectacles seemed to be burning in my
breast-pocket, and although I stared intently at the print, I could
hardly distinguish a word. What if I tried the power of the spectacles
on the professor? The idea appeared to me a happy one, and I
immediately proceeded to put it into practice. With a loudly beating
heart, I pulled the silver case from my pocket, rubbed the glasses
with my handkerchief, put them on my nose, adjusted the bows behind my
ears, and cast a stealthy glance at the prof