134 WAISPERS FROM FAIRYLAND, [ut

remained silent, looking alternately at the Fairy Queen
and at each other without finding words to speak.
Presently the Silver Fairy smiled again, and stamped
her foot with just a /zté/e impatience in the gesture.

“Come, good people,’ she said, ‘do not keep me
waiting here all day. You cannot have summoned me
without wanting something, and that something you
are not at all likely to get unless you can make up
your minds to ask for it!’

Then Simon nudged Dolly, and whispered to her
to speak, and Dolly blushed and said, ‘Oh no! grand-
father, you speak!’ and a fear came over Simon which
made it more difficult than ever for him to find his
voice, so he whispered again, ‘Go on, Dolly, speak up,
wench, I tell ye!’

Upon this Dolly trembled and blushed, and
blushed and trembled again, and then made a low
curtsey to the Fairy and said ina meek voice: ‘ Please,
my lady, grandfather, and Martha, and I—if we might
make so bold—we all thought—we all wanted—if you
would be so kind—-if we could have it—if it might be
done—times are so bad, and there’s so much to pay
for—— How long Dolly would have gone on stam-
mering out these disjointed sentences will never be
known, for when she had got thus far, the Silver Fairy
interrupted her with these words:

‘You need say no more, my little maiden. I see
what it is you have been told to ask for ; the old, old
story. Your grandfather would be richer than he is—-
is not that the truth ?’

Dolly could only curtsey again, but Simon who
was by this time re-assured, especially as the Fairy