not
worth it. A penny Toy, indeed! You turn his head. Take no more notice of
him."

"I won't," replied the Little Dancer tearfully.

So the next time he stopped to watch her dancing she did not speak to
him.

"You are getting rude now," he said. "I am not sure whether that is not
worse than being forward."

"What shall I say?" asked the Little Dancer. "My words do not please
you."

"I should not be displeased if you were to say 'good-day'," he replied.
"It would only be polite, and I never find fault with politeness."

"Good-day," she said, as she practised her steps.

"Is that all?" he inquired.

"That is all," she answered.

"I have a bit of news for you," he said. "I am thinking of marrying the
doll to whom the Red House belongs. It is a comfortable house, well
built, and well appointed. You shall come and have tea with us."

The Little Dancer burst into tears, and her feet moved more slowly.

"Why are you crying?" asked the Bicycle-man, with pretended surprise.

"Dear heart, Oh dear heart, I love you!" she wept.

"Well, well, so do many others," he answered. "It isn't my fault"

And mounting his bicycle he rode away.

"Don't you see you are making him terribly conceited?" said the Little
China Doll. "It is absurd of you. Try to be more sensible."

"I love him so, I love him so!" sobbed the Little Dancer. "My heart is
broken."

On the morrow the Bicycle-man appeared as usual.

"It is all settled," he said. "I hope to marry the doll to whom the Red
House belongs, before the week is out. I fear my marriage will be a
disappointment to many a lady."

The Little Dancer made no reply: she was too heart-broken to utter a
sound.

"Are you not going to wish me happiness?" he asked.

But the Little Dancer still spoke not. She danced faster and faster as
the tears fell from her eyes.

The Bicycle-man did not notice how quickly her tears were falling.

"Your silence is a sad want of manners," he said. "Uncivility is far
from attractive."

Still the little Dancer made no answer; she could not speak, she was
crying so bitterly.

"Well, good-day," he said. "It is very evident that you did not pay the
extra twopence for manners."

Then he left.

"Stop dancing," said the Little China Doll to the Little Dancer. "You
are not in a fit state to dance. You will kill yourself."

"I _must_ dance till I forget, or till I die," she answered--sobbing.

And then she danced faster, _faster_, FASTER, till sh