that, and on her account, too; but, you see, I really couldn't bear to have her called a make-believe. And now," she continued, "I think I'll go back to the station. My auntie and the Queen will be wondering where I am."
"Wait a minute," said the man, drawing the child to his side. "I want to know more about this real Queen. You know they say all the royal families are connected, and she may be a relativ of mine."
"No, she isn't," said the small girl, leaning a little shyly against the royal shoulder;" because she told me once that she had no relations left since her father died. You see, she used to live in a big palace in New York in the winter and a stone castle in Newport in the summer, and she had horses, and carriages, and diamonds, and—and all those things. But she wasn't a queen because she had them, you know, but they belonged to her because she was a queen.
"Well, one day her father died, and they found he'd lost all his money, and some that belonged to other people besides, so the Queen had to go on the stage and get some money to take care of herself and to pay back what he—he borrowed, you know. And that was four years ago, and now she's paid back all Mr. Denbigh's debts except two thousand dollars—"
"Mr. Denbigh!"
"Why, what's the matter?" said the child half turning. "Ain't you feeling well? Your arm trembles so."
"Oh, yes; quite well. Only I felt so sorry for your Queen."
"I knew you would," said the child enthusiastically. "Well, as I told you, she paid it all back except just that two thousand dollars, and this season she expected to finish it. And that made her so happy, because she doesn't like being a make-believe queen, and it was only on her father's account she did it."
"You're sure it was only that? She didn't care to be famous, after all?" said the Great Man, clutching the tiny hand hard.
"Why, how queer your voice sounds," said the little girl in a motherly tone. "I'm sure you can't be feeling well or you wouldn't say such things. I should think that being a king yourself you'd know that when a person's been a real queen once she wouldn't care about being a make-believe one."
