A Little Queen of Hearts - An International Story

ould not have taken kindly to it, I should like to know? The Queen herself, in her great castle on the hill, could not have planned more for the comfort of her guests than did Ha

then went herself and selected a soft, white material and superintended their making. At her suggestion, too, the couch and chairs were upholstered with a pretty flower-patterned cretonne, and some lovely white-framed etchings were hung upon the tinted walls. Then, by grace of his own idea of fitness, Harold had added to the other furnishings a Dresden china toilet-set, and in this he was perhaps far wiser than he knew, for is there anything so well calculated to captivate at sight the heart of a dainty little maiden as the mysterious round-topped boxes that compose the dainty outfit of the ideal dressing-table? Then, to crown it all, a pair of ponies and a basket-phaeton had been purchased for the exclusive use of the guests that were to be. Of course, all this meant money; but with the exception of the previous summer, when Theodore's guests had cost him such a pretty penny, Harold had conscientiously lived a good wav inside his income, so that there was a reserve fund to draw on, on demand. As I said, then, who would not have taken kindly to the life at Windsor under such conditions, and have lost no time in stowing themselves happily away in the special niche prepared for them? So Mr. Harris painted as for dear life in all weathers, indoors or out, as the fancy struck him, and Mrs. Harris turned her leisure to account for a bit of writing now and then, and in between times they drove hither and thither in the basket-phaeton, and, one by one, took in all the sights of old and delightful Windsor. And Marie-Celeste did likewise, as far as the driving and sight-seeing were concerned; but having no greater responsibility than the arrangement of the Dresden boxes on the little dressing-table, wandered about at her own sweet will

by way of getting the best of a tendency to stutter, Albert was accustomed to preface many of hi

tle nod of the head, as much as to say, that the Queen'

s; she's comin' in a little while;" since to have Miss Allyn at the organ during these visits of hers to the chapel was just the most delightful thing that cou

shall we t

ert, and thanks to his mother's preference, boyish percale dresses still kept the Lilliputian trousers of the period at bay. He was a cunning little object as he strode a few feet down the path, his hat on the back of his golden curls, a soft, red silk sash knotted soldier-like at his side, and his hands folded

0

rie-Celeste made so bold as to introduce another subject; and as it chanced to meet with Albert's approval, they chatted merrily together for ever so long. Meantime, a party of tourists, with Mars

he chapel, Albeit?"

old chapel possessed a never-ending fascination, and she rarely crossed the threshold of the choir-which was a beautiful chapel in itself-without an actual thrill of pleasure. So, as Albert had expected, this morning proved no exception, and he was unceremoniously left to communion with his own thoughts upon the doorstep; but it did not prove a long separation. In their tour of the chapel the travellers from across the wate

eet the children from her seat on the organ-bench. "Seems to me I woul

lbert, climbing on to a cushioned bench at his sister's si

d; but you really don't mind

like to have two such every-day little specimens near me here in this chapel, where so many great

ie-Celeste thought perhaps

llyn, finishing the sentence. "Yes, of course I w

an hour, with scarce an interruption, Miss Allyn played on and on, and Marie-Celeste never stirred from the choirmaster's chair, in which she sat absorbed and entranced. Albert, it must be confessed, had made more than one mysterious sortie down the gallery stairs, as though bent on an important errand which had just occurred to him; but in each case he brought up in rather aimless fashion in some remote corner of the chapel; so it was easy to comprehend that the only re

to "begin again," first bringing the interrupted measure to a close with a brief concluding improvisation of her own. Albert understood, and brooked the momentary delay as best he could, bu

if you were really a great musician." And then instantly both childr

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wn," hummed Albert in a cunn

ness of

of de su

dey fad

ecial delectation. It is doubtful if Albert appreciated the pathos of the lines. It was the rose hue of the sunrise and the cr

o war" woke the old chapel echoes. Three times, as for Albert, the air was played effective

once," she said, "to play

op, Dorothy, not eve

ul at the mere prospect of such

iliar friend, "of some musician who heard some one strike two or three chords and then suddenly stop, and after that he; could not

andel, 1 think,"

to remember that name and everything else

Mr. Belden,

r. I don't think many people liked him-he said himself they didn't, anyway; but I liked

ert eagerly, since chat

e I knocked it out of his hands accidentally, and then I had to ask him to excuse me, and that's the way we commenced to be friends. After that he told me a great deal about what he had been reading

with eyes as

and some other things that happened right here in St.

ll me more, Marie-Celeste, about your steamer friend. He must, as you sa

eally very much frightened the day I knocked the book out of his hand. He isn't ever very well, and he has to keep travelli

ut de little Queen," re

about this Mr. --- did you say his name was Bel

her listener took such undisguised interest-"was that he told me one day that he had too much money. That was funny, wasn't it? And he said he thought life was ver

tant allusion to very interesting things was really more than could be patiently endured;

dy who reads the 'Story of a Short Life' must love that hymn, don't you? That's the reason I'm fond of it. Whenever I hear it I seem to see the soldiers in the church at Asholt and the V.C. out on the door-step, singing the be

ing was to be explained, there was no use staying any longer, and he summarily took his departure; and but for his childish reverence for the sacr

said Miss Allyn, as they made their way down the stairs; "he and Harold have an uncle-th

out Harold often, so that he would have known and told me, and he w

ce, to which he had led the way, in rather dangerous fashion, and Miss Allyn hurr

, at the same time lending a hand toward a less ambitious b

terraces from the steep decline of the slopes below, way to the lovely meadows, and t

ng is so perfectly lovely: the views, and the towers, and the castle itself, and the chapels, and the wonderful Long Walk,

y when it was finished," said Miss All

ected the curtains, and the valance, and the hangings, a

ow what I was thinking of. You used to

rt; and I used to spend a great dea

much about Te

r-not nowadays; bu

y it, but we're awfully disappointed in Ted. H

you"-for Miss Aliyn was quite willing to change the subject-"of the Englishman who said to a young girl whom he met on the steamer, 'You

ankful that the conversation ha

now, do they?" for Marie-Celeste p

e would let them, I'm sure, for he had t

thy's best friend,

much. He and Harry are great friends sti

o see us now, Dorothy

ss Allyn's sweet face, wondered how that could be, and then aske

more money than is good for him, like your friend, Mr. Belden

that he isn't at all nice to Harold, and that he comes home

more impressed than ever with the doubtful propriety of discussing Mr. Theodore Harris's shortcomings under existing co

, good-bye; good-bye, Albert (with a kiss, which the fast-maturing, little fellow was half incli

is same tim

hall sure

ttle voice with even firmer