TWILIGHT LAND

It had been seven years now since the old king had
died, and in that time she had grown up into a beautiful
young woman, as wise as she was beautiful, and as good
as she was wise. Few people ever saw her, but every-
body talked about her in whispers and praised her beauty
and goodness, saying that, if the right were done, she
would have her own and be queen.

Sometimes the king heard of this (for a king hears
everything), and he grew to hate the princess as a man
hates bitter drink. ey

The princess looked down from the terrace, and there
she saw Beppo walking along the street, and his shoes
were dusty and his clothes were travel-stained, and a
razor had not touched his face for a week.

“Look at yonder poor man,” she said to her nurse;
“yet if I were his wife he would be greater really than
my uncle the king.”

The king, walking below in the garden, heard what she
said.

“Say you so!” he called out: ‘Then we shall try if
what you say is true.” And he turned away, shaking with
anger.

“Alas!” said the princess, ‘now indeed have I
ruined myself for good and all.”

Beppo was walking along the street looking about him
hither and thither, and thinking how fine it all was. He
had no more thought that the king and the princess were
talking about him than the man in the moon.

Suddenly some one clapped him upon the shoulder.

Beppo turned around.

There stood a great tall man dressed all in black.
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