ung girl, "if only my
unhappy fault can be cured."

'The fairy smiled, "Hasty as ever," she murmured; "however, in _this_
instance, you shall have no reason to regret your words. Put out your
tongue, Elizabetha."

'Trembling slightly, the young girl obeyed. But her fears were uncalled
for--the fairy merely touched the unruly member with her wand and
whispered some words, the meaning of which Elizabetha could not
understand.

'"Meet me here one week hence," said the fairy; "till then your tongue
will obey _my_ commands. And if you then feel you have reason to feel
grateful to me, I will call upon you to redeem your promise."

'And before Elizabetha could reply, the lady had disappeared.

'Full of eagerness and curiosity, Elizabetha returned to the house. It
was growing dusk, and as she sped along the garden paths something ran
suddenly against her, causing her to trip and fall. As she got up she
perceived that it was Fido, the dog of her brother Adolphus. The
creature came bounding up to her again, full of play and affection. But
in her fall Elizabetha had bruised herself; she felt angry and
indignant.

'"Get off with you, you clumsy wretch," she exclaimed, or meant to
exclaim. But to her amazement the words that issued from her mouth were
quite otherwise.

'"Gently, gently, my poor Fido. Thou didst not mean to knock me down,
however," she said in a kind and caressing tone, which the dog at once
obeyed.

'Hardly knowing whether she were awake or dreaming, Elizabetha entered
the house. She was met by her sister Maria.

'"Where have you been, Elizabetha?" she inquired. "Your friends the
Misses Larkyn have been here, but no one could find you, so they have
gone."

'Elizabetha felt extremely annoyed. She had not seen her friends for
some weeks, and had much wished for a visit from them.

'"I think it was most ill-natured of none of you to look for me in the
garden. You might have known I was there if you had cared to oblige
me," were the words she intended to say, but instead of which were
heard the following:

'"I thank you, my dear Maria. I am sorry to have missed my friends, but
it cannot be helped."

'And when Maria, pleased by her gentleness, went on to tell her, that
knowing that her disappointment would be great, and as the Misses Larkyn
had been too pressed for time to linger, she had arranged to walk with
Elizabetha the following day to see them, how rejoiced was Elizabetha
that her intended words