MissAmeliacaughtmyshouldersandshookmeashardasshecould；andsheprovedtobestrongerthanyoueverwouldhavethoughttolookather。
　　“Takeyourseat！“shecried。“Youarearude，untrainedchild！“
　　“Theydofight！“Iinsisted，asIheldmyheadhighandwalkedtomydesk。
　　Leonlaughedoutloud，andthatmadeeveryoneelse。MissAmeliahadsomuchtodoforafewminutesthatsheforgotme，andI
　　knownowwhyLeonstartedit，atleastpartly。Hesaidafterwarditwasthefunniestsightheeversaw。Mycheeksmartedandburned。Icouldscarcelykeepfromfeelingtolearnwhetheritwereswelling，butIwouldn’thaveshedatearorraisedmyhandforanythingyoucouldoffer。
　　RecesswascomingandIdidn’tknowwhattodo。IfIwenttotheplayground，allofthemwouldteaseme；andifIsatatmydeskMissAmeliawouldhaveanotherchanceatme。Thatwastoomuchtorisk，soIfollowedtheothersoutdoors，andohjoy！therecameLaddiedowntheroad。Hesetmeononeofthepostsofthehitchingrackbeforethechurch，andwithmyarmsaroundhisneck，Isobbedoutthewholestory。
　　“Shedidn’tunderstand，“saidLaddiequietly。“YoustayhereuntilIcomeback。I’llgoexplaintoheraboutthebirds。
　　Perhapsshehasn’twatchedthemascloselyasyouhave。“
　　Recesswasoverbeforehereturned。Hehadwethishandkerchiefatthewaterbucket，andnowhebathedmyfaceandeyes，straightenedmyhairwithhispocketcomb，andbeganunlacingmyshoes。
　　“Whatareyougoingtodo？“Iasked。“Imustwearthem。Allthegirlsdo。Onlytheboysarebarefoot。“
　　“Youareexcused，“answeredLaddie。“Three-fourthsofthedayisenoughtobeginon。MissAmeliasaysyoumaycomewithme。“
　　“Whereareyougoing？“
　　Laddiewasstrippingoffmystockingsashelookedintomyeyes，andsmiledapeculiarlittlesmile。
　　“OhLaddie！“Icried。“Willyoutakeme？Honest！“
　　Helaughedagainandthenherubbedmyfeet。
　　“Poorabusedfeet，“hesaid。“SometimesIwishshoeshadneverbeeninvented。“
　　“Theyfeelprettygoodwhenthere’sice。“
　　“Sotheydo！“saidLaddie。
　　Heswungmetotheground，andwecrossedtheroad，climbedthefence，andinaminuteourredbirdswampshuttheschoolhouseandcrossoldMissAmeliafromsight。ThenweturnedandstartedstraighttowardourBigWoods。Icouldscarcelykeepontheground。
　　“Howaretheothersgettingalong？“askedLaddie。
　　“She’scrossastwosticks，“Itoldhim。“JohnnyHoodhasn’tshotonepaperwad，andLeonhadn’tdoneathinguntilhelaughedaboutthebirds，andIguesshedidthattomakeherforgetme。“
　　“Good！“criedLaddie。“Ididn’tsupposetheboythoughtthatfar。“
　　“Oh，younevercantellbylookingathim，howfarLeonisthinking，“Isaid。
　　“That’sso，too，“saidLaddie。“Areyourfeetcomfortablenow？“
　　“Yes，butLaddie，isn’tmyfacemarked？“
　　“I’mafraiditisalittle，“saidLaddie。“We’llbatheitagainatthecreek。Wemustgetitfixedsomotherwon’tnotice。“
　　“WhatwillthePrincessthink？“
　　“Thatyoufell，perhaps，“saidLaddie。
　　“Dothetearsshow？“
　　“Notatall。Wewashedthemallaway。“
　　“DidIdowrong，Laddie？“
　　“Yes，Ithinkyoudid。“
　　“Butitwasn’ttrue，whatshesaid。“
　　“That’snotthepoint。“
　　WehadreachedthefenceoftheBigWoods。Heliftedmetothetoprailandexplained，whileIcombedhiswavinghairwithmyfingers。
　　“Shedidn’tstrikeyoubecausewhatyousaidwasnotso，foritwas。Sheknewinstantlyyouwereright，ifsheknowsanythingatallaboutoutdoors。Thisiswhatmadeherangry：itisherfirstday。Shewantedtomakeagoodimpressiononherpupils，toarousetheirinterest，andawakentheirrespect。Whenyouspoke，allofthemknewyouwereright，andshewaswrong；thatmadeherridiculous。Can’tyouseehowitmadeherlookandfeel？“
　　“Ididn’tnoticehowshelooked，butfromthewayshehitme，youcouldtellshefeltbadenough。“
　　“Shesurelydid，“saidLaddie，kissingmycheeksoftly。“Poorlittlewoman！Whataworldofthingsyouhavetolearn！“
　　“Shouldn’tIhavetoldherhowmistakenshewas？“
　　“Ifyouhadgonetoheralone，atrecessornoon，orto-night，probablyshewouldhavethankedyou。Thenshecouldhavecorrectedherselfatsomeconvenienttimeandkeptherdignity。“
　　“MustIaskherpardon？“
　　“Whatyoushoulddo，istoputyourselfinMissAmelia’splaceandtrytounderstandhowshefelt。Thenifyouthinkyouwouldn’thavelikedanyonetodotoyouwhatyoudidtoher，you’llknow。“
　　IhuggedLaddietightandthoughtfast——therewasnoneedtothinklongtoseehowitwas。
　　“IgottotellherIwaswrong，“Isaid。“Nowlet’sgototheEnchantedWoodandseeifwecanfindtheQueen’sdaughter。“
　　“Allright！“saidLaddie。
　　Heleapedthefence，swungmeover，andstartedtowardthepawpawthicket。Hedidn’tdomuchgoingaround。Hecrashedthroughandover；andsoonhebeganwhistlingtheloveliestlittledancytune。Itmadeyourheadwhirl，andyourtoestingle，andyouknewitwassingingthatwayinhisheart，andhewasjustlettingoutthemusic。Thatwaswhyitmadeyouwanttodanceandwhirl；itwassoalive。Butthatwasn’tthewayinanEnchantedWood。Ipulledhishand。
　　“Laddie！“Icautioned，“keepinthepath！You’llstepontheFairiesandcrushawholebandwithonefoot。NowondertheQueenmakesherdaughtergrowbigwhenshesendshertoyou。Ifyoumakesomuchnoise，someonewillhearyou，thenthiswon’tbeasecretanymore。“
　　Laddielaughed，buthesteppedcarefullyinthepathafterthat，andhesaid：“Therearetimes，LittleSister，whenIdon’tcarewhetherthissecretissecretanotherminuteornot。Secretsdon’tagreewithme。I’mtoobig，andbroad，andtoomuchofaman，togocreepingthroughthewoodswithasecret。Iprefertoprintitonabannerandrideuptheroadwavingit。“
　　“Like，——`Ayouthwhoboremidsnowandice，Abannerwithastrangedevice，’“Isaid。
　　“Thatwouldbe`abannerwithastrangedevice，’“laughestLaddie。“But，yes——somethinglike！“
　　“HaveyoutoldthePrincess？“
　　“Ihave！“Laddiefairlyshoutedit。
　　“DocsSHElikesecrets？“
　　“NomorethanIdo！“
　　“Thenwhy——？“
　　“Thereyougo！“saidLaddie。“Zeus，butthewomanisbeginningtomeasleoutalloveryou！Youknowaswellasanyonethatthere’ssomethingwrongatherhouse。Idon’tknowwhatitis；I
　　can’tevenmakeasensibleguessasyet，butit’sworsethantheneighboursthink。It’sathingthathasdrivenafamilyfromtheirhomecountry，underanamethatIhavedoubtsaboutbeingtheirs，andsentthemacrossanocean，`strangersinastrangeland，’asitsaysintheBible。It’ssomethingthatkeepsaculturedgentlemanandscholarragingupanddowntheroadsandoverthecountrylikeamadman。Itshutsawhite-faced，lovely，littlewomanfromherneighbours，butIhavepassedherwalkingtheroadatnightwithbothhandspressedagainstherheart。
　　SometimesittriesthePrincesspastenduranceandcontrol；andithashersowornandtiredstrugglingwithitthatsheiswillingtocarryanothersecret，ratherthantrytofindstrengthtodoanythingthatwouldmakemoretroubleforherfatherandmother。“
　　“Wouldittroublethemforhertoknowyou，Laddie？“
　　“Solongastheydon’tandwon’tbecomeacquaintedwithme，oranyone，ofcourseitwould。“
　　“Can’tyouforcethemtoknowyou？“
　　“ThatIcan！“saidLaddie。“Butyousee，IonlymetthePrincessashorttimeago，andtherewouldbenouseinraisingtrouble，unlessshewillmakemeherKnight！“
　　“Buthasn’tshe，Laddie？“
　　“Notintheverylittlestleast，“saidLaddie。“ForallIknow，sheismerelyusingmetohelppassalonelyhour。Yousee，peoplerearedinEnglandhaveideasofclass，thattwoorthreegenerationsspentherewashout。ThePrincessandherfamilyareoftheunwashedBritish。Father’speoplehavebeenherelongenoughtojudgeamanonhisownmerits。“
　　“YoumeanthePrincess’familywouldthinkyou’renotgoodenoughtobeherKnight？“
　　“Exactly！“
　　“Andweknowthatourfamilythinkstheyareinfidels，andwickedpeople；andthatifshewouldhaveyou，motherwouldbesickinbedoverit。OhLaddie！“
　　“Precisely！“
　　“Whatareyougoingtodo？“
　　“ThatImustfindout。“
　　“Whenitwillmakesomuchtrouble，whynotforgether，andgoonlikeyoudidbeforeshecame？Then，allofuswerehappy。Now，itmakesmeshivertothinkwhatwillhappen。“
　　“Metoo，“saidLaddie。“Butlookhere，LittleSister，rightinmyface。WillyoueverforgetthePrincess？“
　　“Never！“
　　“Thenhowcanyouaskmeto？“
　　“Ididn’tmeanforgether，exactly。Imeantnotcomehereanddothingsthatwillmakeeveryoneunhappy。“
　　“Oneminute，Chick-a-Biddy，“saidLaddie。Sometimeshecalledmethat，whenhelovedmetheverymostofall。Idon’tbelieveanyoneexceptmeeverheardhimdoit。“Letmeaskyouthis：doesourfatherloveourmother？“
　　“Loveher？“Icried。“Whyhejustloveshertodeath！Heturnssowhite，andhesuffersso，whenherpainistheworst。Loveher？Andshehim？Why，don’tyouremembertheotherdaywhenhetippedherheadagainsthimandkissedherthroatasheleftthetable；thatheaskedherifshe`lovedhimyet，’andshesaidrightbeforeallofus，`WhyPaul，Iloveyou，untilIscarcelycankeepmyfingersoffyou！’Laddie，isitlikethatwithyouandthePrincess？“
　　“Itiswithme，“saidLaddie。“NotwiththePrincess！Now，canIforgether？CanIkeepawayfromeventhechancetopassherontheroad？“
　　“No，“Isaid。“No，youcan’t，Laddie。Butcanyouevermakeherloveyou？“
　　“Ittakestimetofindthatout，“saidLaddie。“Ihavegottotry；soyoubeawomanandkeepmysecretalittlewhilelonger，untilIfindawayout，butdon’tbotheryourheadaboutit！“
　　“Ican’thelpbotheringmyhead，Laddie。Can’tyoumakeherunderstandthatGodisnotamyth？“
　　“I’mnonetoosurewhatIbelievemyself，“saidLaddie。“NotthatthereisnoGod——Idon’tmeanthat——butIsurelydon’tbelieveallfather’steachings。“
　　“IfyoubelieveGod，dootherlittlethingsmatter，Laddie？“
　　“Ithinknot，“saidLaddie，“elseHeavenwouldbeallMethodists。
　　AsforthePrincess，allshehasheardinherlifehasbeenagainsttherebeingaGod。Now，sheislearningsomethingontheotherside。Afterawhileshecanjudgeforherself。Itisforus，whoprofesstobeaChristianfamily，toprovetoherwhywebelieveinGod，andwhatHedoesforus。“
　　“Well，shewouldthinkHecoulddoagooddeal，ifsheknewhowmotherhatedaskinghertocometoourhouse；andyetshedidit，beautifullytoo，justtogiveherachancetoseethatverything。ButIalmostmadeherdoit。Idon’tbelievesheeverwouldalone，Laddie，oratleastnotforalongtimeyet。“
　　“Isawthat，andunderstooditperfectly，“saidLaddie。“Thankyou，LittleSister。“Hepickedmeupandhuggedmetight。“IfI
　　couldonlymakeyousee！“
　　“ButLaddie，Ido！I’mnotababy！Iknowhowpeopleloveandmakehomesforthemselves，likeSallyandPeteraregoingto。IfitiswithyouaboutthePrincessasitiswithfatherandmother，whyIdoknow。“
　　“Allright！Hereweare！“saidLaddie。
　　HepartedthewillowsandwesteppedontheMagicCarpet，andthatminutetheMagicworked。Iforgoteveryawful，solemn，troublousthingwehadbeentalkingabout，andlookedaroundwhileLaddiekneltandhuntedforaletter，andtherewasnone。
　　ThatmeantthePrincesswascoming，sowesatonthethronetowait。Wehadn’trememberedtobathemycheek，wehadbeensobusywhenwepassedthewater，andIdoubtifwewerethinkingmuchthen。Wejustwaited。Thewillowwallswavedgently，themosscarpetwasspottedwithlittlegoldpatchesofsunlight，intheshadeafewoftheredflowersstillbloomed，andbig，lazybumblebeeshummedaroundthem，orahummingbirdstoodonairbeforethem。Asortofgoldenthrobbingfilledthewoods，andmyheartbegantoleap，why，Idon’tknow；butI’msureLaddie’sdidtoo，forIlookedathimandhiseyeswereshiningasIneverhadseenthembefore，whilehischeekswerealittlered，andhewasbreathinglikewhenyou’vebeenrunning；thensuddenlyhisbodygrewtenseagainstmine，andthatmeantshewascoming。
　　Likethatfirstday，shecameslowlythroughthewoods，stoppinghereandtheretotouchthetrunkofatree，putbackabranch，orbendoveraflowerface。Brownasthewoodfloorwasherdress，andcardinalflowersblazedonherbreast，andthesamecolourshowedonhercheeksandlips。HereyeswerelikeLaddie’sforbrightness，andshewasbreathingthesameway。I
　　thoughtsuretherewasgoingtobesomethingtorememberalifetime——IwassoexcitedIcouldn’tstandstill。BeforeitcouldhappenLaddiewentandsaiditwasa“beautifulday，“andshesaid“itdidn’tshowinthewoods，butthepasturesneededrain。“Thenshekissedme。WellifIever！Isankonthethroneandsatthere。Theywentontalkinglikethat，untilitwastoodulltobear，soIslippedoutandwanderedawaytoseewhatIcouldfind。WhenIgrewtiredandwentback，LaddiewassittingontheMagicCarpetwithhisbackagainstthebeech，andthePrincesswasonthethronereadingfromalittlebook，readingsuchinterestingthingsthatIdecidedtolisten。Afterawhileshecametothis：
　　“Thouarematedwithaclown，Andthegrossnessofhisnature，willhaveweighttobeartheedown。“
　　Laddiethrewbackhishead，andhowhelaughed！ThePrincessputdownthebookandlookedathimsosurprised。
　　“Areyoureadingthattomebecauseyouthinkitappropriate？“
　　askedLaddie。
　　“Iamreadingitbecauseitisconcededtobeoneofthemostbeautifulpoemseverwritten，“saidthePrincess。