s none the worse for her long travels over hill and
dale in the vain effort to discover the King's Son's old
home. She sings and dances to him. But she soon grows faint
and falls. To save his love from starving, the King's Son
then barters his royal crown, which he has found again, for
the poisoned pasty. The outcasts eat it and soon after die,
fancying themselves happy in a land of love and roses. With
her last breath the Goose-Girl braves grim Death who
threatens her and sighs "I love thee, dear!"

The Fiddler and the troop of little children then return,
only to learn that they have found the outcasts but to lose
them. They lay the youthful lovers on a bier and bear them
away to bury them on a high hill. And as they go, they sing
a last lament for the poor "Kingly Children."

After the opera, Mr. Ludlow invited them to a supper at one of the
cafes, but Aunt Betty demurred, as it was quite late, and so they were
driven straight home.

"Alfy," said Dorothy, when they had reached their rooms, "you are such
a funny girl. You didn't half pay attention to the opera at all. All I
saw you doing was looking at the ladies in the boxes."

"I was trying to remember the dress of the lady in that one box, the
one that glistened all over with diamonds. I wanted to write and tell
Ma Babcock just how to make it. It was so stylish, and had such a nice
low neck and long train," said Alfy.

"Alfy, are you sure you are not crazy?" laughed Dorothy. "Oh, oh! Just
imagine Ma Babcock in a dress like that! Oh, dear! It's so funny."

"Why, Dorothy!" angrily added Alfy, "why couldn't ma have a dress like
that? And anyway, I couldn't understand a word they were singing. I am
going right to bed, I am, so there!"

"Alfy, dear, don't you know that people only wear dresses like that to
evening affairs, and, of course, you couldn't understand, it was all
in German. Here, kiss me good-night." The girls kissed each other and
were soon fast asleep.

CHAPTER VII.

AN EPISODE.

The next morning no one arose very early. They were all quite willing
to rest. Jim, first of all, was up and out. He had been working over a
list of boarding houses as he had quite decided to take the position,
and his salary would not permit him to live in an expensive hotel. He
had not been very successful and on returning to the hotel found Aunt
Betty reading in their sitting room.

"Aunt Bet