very day that
you disappeared yourself? At least, so we guess. Ah! that day has left
many a mark on our duchess! Yet she is not without a gleam of hope
that her daughter is living yet, for every night the poor mother is
visited by a dream which tells her all that the princess is doing.'

The good man went on to tell of all the changes that seven years had
brought about in the village, but Youri heard nothing that he said,
for his mind was busy with thoughts of Abeille.

[Illustration: 'STAY HERE AND YOU SHALL BE KING']

At length he roused himself, and ashamed of his delay, he hastened to
the chamber of the duchess, who held him in her arms as if she would
never let him go. By-and-by, however, when she became calmer, he began
to question her about Abeille, and how best to deliver her from the
power of the gnomes. The duchess then told him that she had sent out
men in all directions to look for the children directly they were
found to be missing, and that one of them had noticed a troop of
little men far away on the mountains, evidently carrying a litter. He
was hastening after them, when, at his feet, he beheld a tiny satin
slipper, which he stooped to pick up. But as he did so a dozen of the
gnomes had swarmed upon him like flies, and beat him about the head
till he dropped the slipper, which they took away with them, leaving
the poor man dizzy with pain. When he recovered his senses the group
on the mountain had disappeared.

* * * * *

That night, when everyone was asleep, Youri and his old servant
Francoeur, stole softly down into the armoury, and dressed themselves
in light suits of chain armour, with helmets and short swords, all
complete. Then they mounted two horses that Francoeur had tied up in
the forest, and set forth for the kingdom of the gnomes. At the end of
an hour's hard riding, they came to the cavern which Francoeur had
heard from childhood led into the centre of the earth. Here they
dismounted, and entered cautiously, expecting to find darkness as
thick as what they had left outside. But they had only gone a few
steps when they were nearly blinded by a sudden blaze of light, which
seemed to proceed from a sort of portcullis door, which barred the way
in front of them.

'Who are you?' asked a voice. And the count answered:

'Youri de Blanchelande, who has come to rescue Abeille des Clarides.'
And at these words the gate slowly swung open, and closed behind the