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I was working at my tasks, I used to cast down my eyes as Gloria passed me;
but one day I glanced up and found her gazing at me with a very tender look
in her eyes. The next day she dismissed her attendants and, coming to my
side, began to talk with me. She said I had touched her heart as no other
young man had ever done. I kissed her hand. Just then the King came around
a bend in the walk. He struck me with his fist and kicked me with his foot.
Then he seized the arm of the Princess and rudely dragged her into the
castle."
"
Wasn't he awful!" gasped Trot indignantly.
"
He is a very abrupt King," said Pon, "so it was the least I could expect. Up to
that time I had not thought of loving Princess Gloria, but realizing it would be
impolite not to return her love, I did so. We met at evening, now and then, and
she told me the King wanted her to marry a rich courtier named Googly-Goo,
who is old enough to be Gloria's father. She has refused Googly-Goo thirty-
nine times, but he still persists and has brought many rich presents to bribe
the King. On that account King Krewl has commanded his niece to marry the
old man, but the Princess has assured me, time and again, that she will wed
only me. This morning we happened to meet in the grape arbor and as I was
respectfully saluting the cheek of the Princess, two of the King's guards seized
me and beat me terribly before the very eyes of Gloria, whom the King himself
held back so she could not interfere."
"
"
"
Why, this King must be a monster!" cried Trot.
He is far worse than that," said Pon, mournfully.
But, see here," interrupted Cap'n Bill, who had listened carefully to Pon. "This
King may not be so much to blame, after all. Kings are proud folks, because
they're so high an' mighty, an' it isn't reasonable for a royal Princess to marry
a common gardener's boy."
"
It isn't right," declared Button-Bright. "A Princess should marry a Prince."
"
I'm not a common gardener's boy," protested Pon. "If I had my rights I would
be the King instead of Krewl. As it is, I'm a Prince, and as royal as any man in
Jinxland."
"
"
How does that come?" asked Cap'n Bill.
My father used to be the King and Krewl was his Prime Minister. But one day
while out hunting, King Phearse--that was my father's name--had a quarrel
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