“Then every one of the Star People looked at Merope, and saw—what not one of them had noticed before, they were so glad to have her back—her own, strange, vanishing star still glinted above her forehead. “‘Couldn’t you find the right kind?’ asked Taygeta. “‘Weren’t you allowed to have it?’ asked Orion. “‘Did you lothe it, coming back?’ asked Draco. “‘Answer, Merope!’ said Cassiopeia. “Merope looked confused, and she bent over Little Bear once more (he was a very convenient Little Bear), but she had to speak. “‘There were plenty of stars,’ she said slowly, ‘and I might have taken one, but when I saw them—all so splendid—they didn’t seem like me; and then I thought you all loved me, and I knew you didn’t care really, for the star; and I liked my own best. So—I just came home.’ “‘We’re glad, Merope,’ said Andromeda. ‘We love you best like this.’ “And every one of the Star People felt the same.” “We do too, Dearie,”said Phyllisy. “That was the best ending.” Pat and the Kitten wriggled and nodded, and the Princess smiled at them, but she held up her finger for them to wait for the very end. “Then it was Merope’s turn to ask a question. But it didn’t occur to her until a little later. “The sisters were dancing—the very prettiest and most twirly of the ‘Sailor’s Knots’—and Merope was the centre of the twist, when she stopped short and asked:— [Illustration: THE SISTERS WERE DANCING—THE VERY PRETTIEST AND MOST TWIRLY OF THE “SAILOR’S KNOTS” ] “‘When will the Stranger be here?’ “The Star People looked at each other in complete astonishment. They had forgotten all about him. “‘He isn’t coming,’ said Orion, after a pause. “‘How do you know he isn’t?’ asked Hercules. “‘The same way we knew he _was_,’ answered Orion. “‘I’d jutht like to know who thtarted that thtory,’ said Draco. ‘I believe it wath a comet!’ “‘So do I,’ said Cassiopeia.” “Truly was it?” asked the Kitten. “What do you think?” asked the Princess. Then all the questions they had kept inside of them began to come out, and they lasted down the hill—very jerky, on account of having to run or slip—and most of the long way back. But there was time beside to gather more leaves to take the place of those they had forgotten and left safe under small stones on the hill-top! There were thousands and thousands of them fallen, too beautiful to pass over, so it was just as well. XI TORQUILLON’S LAIR Precisely when the clock had struck three there came three raps on the door. (There had been shuffling, whispering noises, and a squeak like a mouse before, very small, but different from the sound of the rain against the windows.) “Come in!” said the Princess; and there entered the very ones she expected to see, because it was an appointment. The first thing, she wanted to ask them if they didn’t think it would be comforting to have a fire in the fireplace, to look at.