that cheque I have felt
strangely happy. I think this very small act of self-denial will bring
me a blessing, and I don't wish to be deprived of it. Good-bye,
Arthur; come to see me again at three, and I will take you to my
girls."

CHAPTER XXX.

VOICE OF THE PRINCE.

Daisy felt quite certain that the Prince had come. Jasmine greeted her
old friend of St. Paul's Cathedral with sparkling eyes and effusive
words of welcome. Primrose, too, was very pleased to see any one who
brought such a contented look into Daisy's little face, for the child
asked herself to sit in his arms, and laying her head on his shoulder,
she listened with pleasure to some wonderful fairy stories which he
related. While Noel was by, Daisy seemed quite to forget her nervous
fancies--she even spoke confidentially of ogres who tried to make
themselves friendly, and she asked Arthur, with a very puzzled,
anxious face, if a little girl, who was so unfortunate as to have an
ogre for a friend, could ever get rid of him.

"Oh, yes; he might turn into an enemy," answered Arthur.

But here poor Daisy shuddered violently, and turned very white.

"No, no," she said; "not into an enemy, never into an enemy, dear Mr.
Arthur."

"What matter is it to you, little maid?" answered Arthur cheerily,
though he regarded her with very keen observation. "There is no ogre
going to trouble you as either friend or enemy; If he does he will
have to meet me. I am the Prince, you know, and my mission in life is
to slay the wicked ogres."

"Oh! but his poor wife and his children!" half sobbed Daisy; "couldn't
you lock him up in a tower, dear Prince?"

Arthur smiled, and gradually managed to lead the child's thoughts into
another direction. He was already gaining the greatest possible
influence over her, and he managed, on the occasion of his second
visit, to coax her to let him carry her across to Miss Egerton's for a
couple of hours. Dove met them as Arthur was carrying the child away,
and he first scowled, and then smiled obsequiously. Daisy turned
deadly white, and Noel felt that she trembled.

[Illustration: DOVE MET THEM. Palace B]

"I'm coming back to-night, Mr. Dove," she called out, in a shaky
little voice; and Dove answered--

"Pleased to hear it, missy; the attics would be lonesome without you,
missy."

"Daisy," whispered Noel, "tell me something--is Dove the ogre?"

"Oh, don't, don't, Mr. Prince!" answered back the child. "No, no, of
course