artner away from each other. And fancy his going away
and leaving you as he did! You poor little thing, how I _wish_ I could
do something to make you happier!"

Molly thought a moment. "I know!" she exclaimed; "you shall belong to
me, my dear. I shall ask Auntie to give you to me, and you shall be my
very own dolly!"

"Come with me, darling," she continued, hugging the little Marionette
tightly, "and I will sing you to sleep in Auntie's big rocking-chair. I
will make up a nice song all by myself and all about you. You will see
then how much I love you, and you won't cry any more. When you wake up
you will feel happier again."

And going into the room at the back of the shop, she drew a
rocking-chair near the cheerful blaze of the bright fire and sat down,
still clasping the little Marionette in her arms.

At first she rocked to and fro silently, and with a thoughtful
expression. Presently she gave a sudden jerk to the rocking-chair, and
sung in a shrill sweet voice, and with some energy--

"Lulla_by_, little dolly, lulla_by_, lulla_by_,
Your poor nose is broken, your eyes are awry,
But I'll love you and kiss you, so you must just try
Not to cry, little dolly,--lulla_by_, lulla_by_."

"Lullaby," she said more gently, and kissed her fondly. Then she began
afresh, but more softly and soothingly--

"Lulla_by_, little dolly, lulla_by_, lulla_by_,
You know you are ugly and rather a guy,
But my arms are around you, so why should you sigh?
Just you sleep, little dolly,--lulla_by_, lulla_by_."

"Lullaby," she whispered, and kissed her again very tenderly.

"This is not poetry, only rhyme, and not very flattering rhyme either,"
murmured the little Marionette. "But if it is not poetry it is love....
And it brings comfort to my sore heart, which the reasoning, and the
doctoring, and the jesting could not do...."

She whispered something more, but very weakly. Her power of talking to a
Mortal had all but left her, and the child had to put her head quite
close to the little lady so as to be able to catch what she said.

"Let me always stay with you," the little Marionette just managed to
whisper.

"Always, dear," said her little friend.

And then the little lady fell asleep quite happily. That at least was
what the little girl thought. And if _she_ thought so _we_ might as well
think the same.

* * * * *

"You want me to give you that little