Mr. Ducker had said to her that very morning, rubbing
his hands, and speaking in the conspirator's voice: "We
must leave no stone unturned. This is the time of
seed-sowing, my dear. We must pull every wire."

The czar was a wire, therefore they proceeded to pull
him. They did not know he was a live wire until later.

Pearl Watson's delight at being asked to a real party
knew no bounds. Maudie need not have worried about Pearl's
appearing at the feast without the festal robe. The dress
that Camilla had made for her was just waiting for such
an occasion to air its loveliness. Anything that was
needed to complete her toilet was supplied by her
kind-hearted mistress, the czar's mother.

But Mrs. Evans stood looking wistfully after her only
son as Pearl wheeled him gaily down the walk. He was
beautifully dressed in the finest of mull and valenciennes;
his carriage was the loveliest they could buy; Pearl in
her neat hat and dress was a little nurse girl to be
proud of. But Mrs. Evans's pretty face was troubled. She
was thinking of the pretty baby pictures in the magazines,
and Algernon was so--different! And his nose was--strange,
too, and she had massaged it so carefully, too, and when,
oh when, would he say "Daddy-dinger!"

But Algeron was not envious of any other baby's beauty
that afternoon, nor worried about his nose either as he