anxiety. CHAPTER X. THE INJURED FAVOURITE. UR last chapter ended with a kind question, asked by the Queen of the Doll Country as to one of her suffering subjects. Her prime minister hastened to relieve her "The invalid after whom your majesty condescends to inquire is much better, I rejoice to say. Would graciously consent to see her to-day?" "Certainly, my lord!" was the hearty answer. your majesty 66 Bring her to our presence, we pray you, if she be well enough to come." The Rod bowed, and at once went towards the palace. Before he mounted the steps he turned and shook his head at Ethel. "Why does he shake his head at me? And what does the Queen mean by our invalid friend'?" asked Ethel wonderingly. "Ah! Ethel!" said the Fairy in a low, grave tone, “let me entreat of you to keep silent. What you most wish to see will be here presently. Be prepared for a great surprise -but do not speak!" Ethel started, and felt rather frightened. In a few minutes the Rod reappeared, leading a doll carefully down the palace steps-a poor old doll, with bandaged head, soiled pink and white dress, and only one boot on! "Oh! Oh! Oh!" exclaimed Ethel irrepressibly! "if it isn't actually my lost doll at last!" 66 My lord," said the Queen, starting, and half rising from her throne, "what noise was that?" “The voice of an uninvited guest, your majesty!" "An uninvited guest!" echoed the Queen; "where is the rash and audacious intruder ?" "There, your majesty!" and he pointed maliciously at Ethel, who was standing with outstretched arms and flushed cheeks. The doll at the same instant turned her little head, and seeing Ethel exclaimed in a voice of terror "Oh! protect me, your majesty, I beseech you-it is my mistress!" "Your MISTRESS," said the Queen in a surprised tone; and looking at Ethel she said 66 Step forth, girl! and let us look upon so cruel a little tyrant." "No," said Ethel hastily, trying to hide behind the Fairy. "I don't want to; I have found my doll, and I shall take her home!" Then regaining courage almost as quickly as she had lost it, she came forward again, and called out, "Come here, miss," to the doll. "What!" said the Queen, "you dare to disobey our royal commands! and to give orders in this land to our subjects! My lord, call out our guard!" Ethel turned to the Fairy for protection, but the Fairy was gone; and to her horror she saw herself surrounded by tall birch rods, with all their green eyes fixed upon her. She tried to run away, but could not. "You are our prisoner," they hissed in her ear. |