and there. But she was sitting safely down; and the Queensberry rules
only permit you to strike any one standing up. Erebus forgot them,
stooped to strike, remembered them, straightened herself, and with a
really pantherous growl dashed away in search of the Terror.

She found him examining and strengthening the barrier of thorns; and
she cried:

"I know all about your kissing the princess! I never heard of such
silly babyishness!"

It was very seldom, indeed, that the Terror showed himself sensible to
the emotions of his sister; but on this occasion he blushed faintly as
he said:

"Well, what harm is there in it?"

"It's babyish! It's what mollycoddles do! It's girlish! It's--"

The Terror of a sudden turned brazen; he said loudly and firmly:

"You mind your own business! It isn't babyish at all! She's asked me
to marry her; and when we're grown up I'm going to--so there!"

CHAPTER XI

AND THE UNREST CURE

Erebus knew her brother well; she perceived that she was confronted by
what she called his obstinacy; and though his brazen-faced admission
had raised her to the very height of amazement and horror, she uttered
no protest. She knew that protest would be vain, that against his
obstinacy she was helpless. She wrung her hands and turned aside into
the wood, overwhelmed by his defection from one of their loftiest
ideals.

Then followed a period of strain. She assumed an attitude of very
haughty contempt toward the errant pair, devoted herself to Wiggins,
and let them coldly alone. From this attitude Wiggins was the chief
sufferer: the Terror had the princess and the princess had the Terror;
Erebus enjoyed her display of haughty contempt, but Wiggins missed the
strenuous life, the rushing games, in which you yelled so heartily. As
often as he could he stole away from the haughty Erebus and joined the
errant pair. It is to be feared that the princess found the kisses
sweeter for the ban Erebus had laid on them.

No one in the Deepings suspected that the missing princess was on
Deeping Knoll. There had been sporadic outbursts of suspicion that the
Twins had had a hand in her disappearance. But no one had any reason
to suppose that they and the princess had even been acquainted. Doctor
Arbuthnot, indeed, questioned both Wiggins and the Terror; but they
were mindful of the fact that Lady Rowington (they were always very
careful to address her as Lady Rowington) and not the princess, was