appreciatively. But he said: "Oh, come;
this won't do, Terror, don't you know! Her highness will _have_ to
come."

"I don't see how you're going to get her. The only person who could
use force is the prince himself, and I don't think he could be got up
to the knoll. He's too heavy. I've seen him. And if you did get him
up, I don't really think he'd ever find her in these caves," said the
Terror in the dispassionate tone of one discussing an entirely
impersonal matter.

"Anyhow, I'm not going," said the princess with even greater firmness.

Miss Lambart and Sir Maurice gazed at each other in an equal perplexity.

"You see, there isn't any real reason why she shouldn't stay here,"
said the Terror. "She came to England to improve her health; and she's
improving it ever so much faster here than she did at the Grange. You
can _see_ how improved it is. She eats nearly as much as Erebus."

"She has certainly changed," said Miss Lambart in a tart tone which
showed exactly how little she found it a change for the better.

"The Twins have a transforming effect on the young," said Sir Maurice
in a tone of resignation.

"I am much better," said the princess. "I'm getting quite strong, and
I can run ever so fast."

She stretched out a tanning leg and surveyed it with an air of
satisfaction.

"But it's nonsense!" said Miss Lambart.

"But what can you _do_?" said the Terror gently.

"I'll chance the _lese-majeste_!" cried Miss Lambart; and she sprang
swiftly forward.

The princess bolted into the cave and up it. Miss Lambart followed
swiftly. The cave ended in a dim passage, ten feet down, the passage
forked into three dimmer passages. Miss Lambart stopped short and
tried to hear from which of them came the sound of the footfalls of the
retiring princess. It came from none of the three; the floor of the
eaves was covered with sound-deadening sand. Miss Lambart walked back
to the entrance of the cave.

"She has escaped," she said in a tone of resignation.

"Well, I really don't see any reason for you to put yourself about for
the sake of that disagreeable crew at the Grange. You have done more
than you were called on to do in finding her. You can leave the
catching of her to them. There's nothing to worry about: it's quite
clear that this camping-out is doing her a world of good," said Sir
Maurice in a comforting tone.

"Yes; there is that," said Miss Lambart.

"Let me introduce my nephew. Hyaci