"She'll dote on it," he added--the person to whom he referred being the sister of the American Consul, the little widow, "cute as she can be," of whom he had written to Hylda in the letter which had brought a crisis in her life.

As he returned the note-book to his pocket a door opened.

Mahommed Hassan slid forward into the room, and stood still, impassive and gloomy.

Lacey beckoned, and said grotesquely: "'Come hither, come hither, my little daughter, And do not tremble so!'" A sort of scornful patience was in Mahommed's look, but he came nearer and waited.
"Squat on the ground, and smile a smile of mirth, Mahommed," Lacey said riotously.

"'For I'm to be Queen o' the May, mother, I'm to be Queen o' the May!'" Mahommed's face grew resentful.