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think of it； there really isn't anythingnot in what she saidthat
CHANGED that ending； as I can see。 They didn't get married and live
happy ever after； anyhow。〃
〃Yes； but what did she say？〃 asked Mr。 Jack in a voice that was not
quite steady。 〃Now； be careful； David； and tell it just as she said it。〃
〃Oh； I will；〃 nodded David。 〃SHE said to do that； too。〃
〃Did she？〃 Mr。 Jack leaned farther forward in his chair。 〃But tell me；
how did she happen toto say anything about it？ Suppose you begin at the
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beginningaway back； David。 I want to hear it allall！〃
David gave a contented sigh； and settled himself more comfortably。
〃Well； to begin with； you see； I told her the story long ago； before I
was sick； and she was ever so interested then； and asked lots of questions。
Then the other day something came upI've forgotten howabout the
ending； and I told her how hard I'd tried to have you change it； but you
wouldn't。 And she spoke right up quick and said probably you didn't want
to change it； anyhow。 But of course I settled THAT question without any
trouble；〃 went on David confidently； 〃by just telling her how you said
you'd give anything in the world to change it。〃
〃And you told her thatjust that； David？〃 cried the man。
〃Why； yes； I had to；〃 answered David； in surprise； 〃else she wouldn't
have known that you DID want to change it。 Don't you see？〃
〃Oh； yes！ Iseea good deal that I'm thinking you don't；〃 muttered Mr。
Jack； fallig back in his chair。
〃Well； then is when I told her about the logical endingwhat you said；
you know；oh； yes！ and that was when I found out she did n't like the
ending； because she laughed such a funny little laugh and colored up； and
said that she wasn't sure she could tell me what a logical ending was； but
that she would try to find out； and that； anyhow； YOUR ending wouldn't
be hersshe was sure of that。〃
〃David； did she say thatreally？〃 Mr。 Jack was on his feet now。
〃She did； and then yesterday she asked me to come over； and she said
some more things；about the story； I mean；but she didn't say another
thing about the ending。 She didn't ever say anything about that except that
little bit I told you of a minute ago。〃
〃Yes； yes； but what did she say？〃 demanded Mr。 Jack； stopping short
in his walk up and down the room。
〃She said： 'You tell Mr。 Jack that I know something about that story of
his that perhaps he doesn't。 In the first place； I know the Princess a lot
better than he does； and she isn't a bit the kind of girl he's pictured her。〃
〃Yes！ Go ongo on！〃
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〃 'Now； for instance；' she says； 'when the boy made that call； after the
girl first came back； and when the boy didn't like it because they talked of
colleges and travels； and such things； you tell him that I happen to know
that that girl was just hoping and hoping he'd speak of the old days and
games； but that she could n't speak； of course； when he hadn't been even
once to see her during all those weeks； and when he'd acted in every way
just as if he'd forgotten。' 〃
〃But she hadn't wavedthat Princess hadn't wavedonce！〃 argued Mr。
Jack； 〃and he looked and looked for it。〃
〃Yes； SHE spoke of that；〃 returned David。 〃But SHE said she shouldn't
think the Princess would have waved； when she'd got to be such a great
big girl as thatWAVING to a BOY！ She said that for her part she should
have been ashamed of her if she had！〃
〃Oh； did she！〃 murmured Mr。 Jack blankly； dropping suddenly into his
chair。
〃Yes； she did；〃 repeated David； with a little virtuous uplifting of his
chin。
It was plain to be seen that David's sympathies had unaccountably met
with a change of heart。
〃Butthe Pauper〃
〃Oh； yes； and that's another thing；〃 interrupted David。 〃The Lady of
the Roses said that she didn't like that name one bit； that it wasn't true；
anyway； because he wasn't a pauper。 And she said； too； that as for his
picturing the Princess as being perfectly happy in all that magnificence； he
didn't get it right at all。 For SHE knew that the Princess wasn't one bit
happy； because she was so lonesome for things and people she had known
when she was just the girl。〃
Again Mr。 Jack sprang to his feet。 For a minute he strode up and down
the room in silence； then in a shaking voice he asked：
〃David； youyou aren't making all this up； are you？ You're saying just
whatwhat Miss Holbrook told you to？〃
〃Why； of course； I'm not making it up；〃 protested the boy aggrievedly。
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〃This is the Lady of the Roses' storySHE made it uponly she talked it
as if 't was real； of course； just as you did。 She said another thing； too。 She
said that she happened to know that the Princess had got all that
magnificence around her in the first place just to see if it wouldn't make
her happy； but that it hadn't； and that now she had one placea little room…
…that was left just as it used to be when she was the girl； and that she went
there and sat very often。 And she said it was right in sight of where the boy
lived； too； where he could see it every day； and that if he hadn't been so
blind he could have looked right through those gray walls and seen that；
and seen lots of other things。 And what did she mean by that； Mr。 Jack？〃
〃I don't knowI don't know； David；〃 half…groaned Mr。 Jack。
〃Sometimes I think she meansand then I think that can't betrue。〃
〃But do you think it's helped it anythe story？〃 persisted the boy。
〃She's only talked a little about the Princess。 She didn't really change
things anynot the ending。〃
〃But she said it might； Davidshe said it might！ Don't you
remember？〃 cried the man eagerly。 And to David； his eagerness did not
seem at all strange。 Mr。 Jack had said beforelong agothat he would be
very glad indeed to have a happier ending to this tale。 〃Think now；〃
continued the man。 〃Perhaps she said something else； too。 Did she say
anything else； David？〃
David shook his head slowly。
〃No； onlyyes； there was a little something； but it do