He placed it on the grass, confident that the Gossamer Queen would send for it at once, and he began to think of his own return. "Now to find that door!" he exclaimed, and looked about him to ask the way. The golden lake, the glittering palace, the sentry of mountains--all were there; but no living being was in sight. "Queer place, _I_ call it," said Cedric to himself. "No cake shops, only honey, and no policemen to tell the way." He wandered on in the hope of coming sooner or later, somehow and somewhere, to the door. After a time he met the funny little old man who had accosted him on his arrival. He was gazing hard at the boy, looking right through him as though he were not there. "Will you kindly show me the door?" said Cedric eagerly. "Turn you out, do you mean?" asked ex-King the First. "I want to turn myself out, if I can," replied Cedric. "Already? Good morning, young gentleman, ex-King the Second. There's a pair of us." "Please show me the door." "When is a door not a-jar?" asked the out-o'-work sovereign. "Don't ask me riddles. Show me the door!" ordered Cedric in his best royal-command manner, and looked so threatening that the little old man quickly pointed over his shoulder. Cedric walked off in that direction without a word, and to his joy he discovered the door just a little way in front of him. "Thank goodness!" he exclaimed, as he ran up to it--and then he suddenly realised that he no longer possessed the Golden Key with which to open it. How was he to escape? He turned and looked back at what now was an immeasurable distance--so very far away did it seem--and there was once more bustling activity about the palace. Another Coronation ceremony was beginning all over again. [Illustration: "_I really do look every inch a king!_"] The boy flung himself against the door, and banged and kicked at it with all his might. It was of no use. "Oh, the key, the key!" he cried. "If they would only spare it from their silly triumphing for a moment, and let me out!" He put his eye to the keyhole, and with longing gaze he saw his kite on the spot he had left it, with its lazy tail gently stirred by the breeze. Once more he looked back, despairing of help; the same animated fairy scene met his gaze--all so indifferent to his helplessness. Grasping the handle of the door in his hand he shook it in desperation. Then he remembered. He quietly turned the handle, and walked out! The sea breeze blew freshly as Cedric freed his kite from the bush, and when he looked back there was Land's End just as he had seen it before. "And Fairyland's end, too," he muttered; for all trace of the iron door had disappeared after he passed through. He stared in astonishment, and couldn't make it out; and the adventure remained a mystery all the days of his life. ROSELLA "Rosella!" "Yes, Mother?" And a dark-eyed little girl looked down over the banisters into the hall.