the glossy black hair) was fiery,
harsh and haughty in the extreme, and it often led the Princess to do
unpleasant things which she regretted when she came to wear her other
heads.

But she did not remember this today, and went to meet her guests in the
drawing-room with a feeling of certainty that she would surprise them
with her beauty.

However, she was greatly disappointed to find that her visitors were
merely a small girl in a gingham dress, a copper man that would only go
when wound up, and a yellow hen that was sitting contentedly in
Langwidere's best work-basket, where there was a china egg used for
darning stockings.[A]

[Footnote A: It may surprise you to learn that a princess ever does such
a common thing as darn stockings. But, if you will stop to think, you
will realize that a princess is sure to wear holes in her stockings, the
same as other people; only it isn't considered quite polite to mention
the matter.]

"Oh!" said Langwidere, slightly lifting the nose of No. 17. "I thought
some one of importance had called."

"Then you were right," declared Dorothy. "I'm a good deal of 'portance
myself, and when Billina lays an egg she has the proudest cackle you
ever heard. As for Tiktok, he's the----"

"Stop--Stop!" commanded the Princess, with an angry flash of her
splendid eyes. "How dare you annoy me with your senseless chatter?"

"Why, you horrid thing!" said Dorothy, who was not accustomed to being
treated so rudely.

The Princess looked at her more closely.

"Tell me," she resumed, "are you of royal blood?"

"Better than that, ma'am," said Dorothy. "I came from Kansas."

"Huh!" cried the Princess, scornfully. "You are a foolish child, and I
cannot allow you to annoy me. Run away, you little goose, and bother
some one else."

Dorothy was so indignant that for a moment she could find no words to
reply. But she rose from her chair, and was about to leave the room when
the Princess, who had been scanning the girl's face, stopped her by
saying, more gently:

"Come nearer to me."

Dorothy obeyed, without a thought of fear, and stood before the Princess
while Langwidere examined her face with careful attention.

"You are rather attractive," said the lady, presently. "Not at all
beautiful, you understand, but you have a certain style of prettiness
that is different from that of any of my thirty heads. So I believe I'll
take your head and give you No. 26 for it."

"Well, I b'lieve you won't!"