"Mother," said Cinderella, "do take me home at once. Something extraordinary has happened."
"It's young Mr Hogbin! I knew it!"
"Who? Oh—er—yes, of course. I'll tell you all about it in the carriage, mother."
"Is my little girl going to be happy?"
"I don't know," said Cinderella anxiously. "There's just a chance."
The chance must have come off, for, once in the carriage, Cinderella gave a deep sigh of happiness.
"Well, dear?" said her mother again.
"You'll NEVER guess, mother," laughed Cinderella. "Try."
"I guess that my little daughter thinks of running away from me," said her mother archly. "Am I right?"
"Oh, how lovely! Why, running away is simply the LAST thing I could do. Look!" She stretched out her foot-clothed only in a pale blue stocking.