"I didn't come here to make you sad," she said. "Won't you tell me about the games you play, and let me play with you. Perhaps my fairy godmother has taught me some that you don't know and that you would like to learn."
But we didn't feel quite ready for playing games yet. There were two or three things on our minds. The new princess saw that we looked uncertain.
"What is it?" she said. "You look as if you were afraid of me."
"No," said Tib, and "No," said I. "It isn't that, but there are some things we want to ask you."
"Ask them. I won't call you curious, I prom——"
But just that moment a bell rang—not loudly, but she heard it at once, and started up. She had been sitting on one of the old couches, with us all about her. "I must go," she said. "Come to-morrow and I will tell you all I can. Good-bye; good-bye till to-morrow," and in half an instant—I never saw any one move so quick—she had gone. We heard a key turn in the lock of the double door outside, and that was all!
We looked at each other again without speaking. Surely she must be a fairy of some kind, after all!