ne.

"It isn't to ask, it is to command," said Miss Tredgold. "What sort of a
queen would you make, Pauline, if you really had a kingdom? This is your
kingdom. It lasts for a few hours; still, for the present it is your own.
Your sway is absolute."

"Then let us have hide-and-seek in the garden," she said.

She laughed. The spell was broken. Penelope's eyes lost their watchful
glance. The girls were all agreeable. Mr. Dale rose to his feet.

"I have had my tea," he said, "and the queen has received her crown. I am
truly thankful that birthdays don't last longer than a day. I presume
there is no reason why I may not return to my study."

"No, father, you mustn't stir," said Pauline. "You are my subject, and I
command you to play hide-and-seek. You and Aunt Sophy must hide together.
Now let us begin."

The games that followed were provocative of mirth. Even Mr. Dale was
heard to chuckle feebly. This was when Josephine put her hand into his
pocket and withdrew his handkerchief. He made a scholarly remark the next
moment to Miss Tredgold, who replied:

"For goodness' sake, Henry, come down from the clouds. This is your
child's birthday. It is all very well to know all that musty stuff, but
there are times when it is fifty times better to be full of nonsense."

Mr. Dale groaned, and then Lucy seemed to spring out of the ground. She
laughed in his face, and cried out that she had found him.

So the merry game proceeded. It had nearly come to an end when Pauline
and Penelope found themselves alone.

"I waited for you at twelve o'clock," said Penelope, "but you never
comed. Why didn't you?"

"I didn't want to, Pen. I have changed my mind. Think no more about what
I said."

"I can't never forget it," replied Pen.

But then she heard a whoop from a distant enemy, and darted to another
part of the garden.

The game of hide-and-seek was followed by another, and then another and yet
another, and the cries of mirth and laughter sounded all over the place.
Even Betty forgot the tragic end of the Duke of Mauleverer-Wolverhampton,
who was killed by a brigand in Italy while defending his fair duchess.
Betty had been weeping scalding tears over the tragedy when the sound of
mirth called her forth. John accompanied her, and the other servants looked
on in the distance.

"There never was such a rowdy family," said Betty.

"Rowdy do you call it?" cried John.

"Yes; and the very rowdiest is Miss Tredgold. For mercy's sake