g
back a little of the money she borrowed from me on all occasions."

Then Primrose and Noel walked as quickly as they could down the
village street. Noel despatched his necessary telegram, and in a short
time they both found themselves in Hannah's humble cottage.

"She is asleep," said Hannah, as she came out to meet them. "She is
moaning in her sleep, and she gives sighs enough to break your heart.
You had better, both of you, stay in my little sitting-room until she
awakes."

"If you will allow me," said Noel, "I will go and sit beside her bed;
she is accustomed to me. I will promise to be very careful in my
dealings with her. I believe I can talk to her without startling her
in the least."

Hannah looked dubious, but Primrose interposed in her gentle voice--

"Yes, Hannah, Mr. Noel will not startle Daisy; he has always had a
most happy influence over her."

Poor little Daisy! the sight of her wan face, the anxious expression
which seemed indelibly stamped on her childish brow, gave Noel so
strong a sense of pain and indignation that he sincerely longed to
secure for Dove as severe a punishment as the law would give. He sat
down gently by the humble little bed, and when the child moaned and
tossed in her sleep he laid his cool hand on her forehead. That hand
had a magnetic effect--even in her sleep Daisy seemed to know it. She
murmured, "The Prince, has he come?" and a moment after she opened her
dark blue eyes and fixed them on Noel, while a very faint smile
flitted across her little face.

"You have come at last, Mr. Prince. I am very, very glad; I have
wanted you," she said.

"I have wanted you, Daisy; I have been looking for you everywhere. I
have been in great trouble about you," answered Noel, in his gentlest
tones.

"Have you?" said little Daisy; "I am sorry you have been in trouble.
Do you know that Primrose came to-day and I could not see her? I can
see you, but not Primrose. Please let me hold your hand. I don't feel
so dreadfully weak when I hold your hand. Will you stoop down, and let
me talk to you. I can't talk at all loud, for I'm dreadfully weak. Do
you know, Mr. Prince, that I'm going to die?"

"No, Daisy, I don't think you are," answered Noel. I am the Prince who
delivers little girls from ogres. I never heard of a little girl dying
after she was delivered from the ogre."

"Wicked little girls are not delivered," answered Daisy. "I was so
dreadfully cowardly. I was afraid of a dark du