“A good many, I should say,” her godmother replied.  And as they sat at dinner, served by Godmother’s neat maid-of-all-work, it “kind o’ came out,” as Mary Alice would have said, how many delightful people Godmother had counted among her friends.

“You’ve had a beautiful time, all your life, haven’t you?” Mary Alice commented admiringly, when they were back in the cozy drawing-room and Godmother was serving coffee from the copper percolator.

“Not all my life, but most of it—­yes,” said Godmother.  “It took me some time to find the talisman, the charm, the secret—­or whatever you want to call it—­of having a happy time.”

“But you found it?”

Godmother flushed as if she were a little bit embarrassed.  “Well,” she said, “I found one—­at last—­that worked, for me.”

“I wish I could find one,” sighed Mary Alice, wistfully.

“I’m going to try to give you mine,” said Godmother, “or at least to share it with you.  And all I ask of you is, that if it ‘works’ for you, you’ll pass it on to some one else.”

“Oh, I will!” cried Mary Alice.  “What is it?”

“Wait a minute!  I have to tell you about me, first—­so you’ll understand.”

“Please do!” urged Mary Alice.  “I’d love to hear.”

“Well, you see, when the invitations to my christening were sent out, my folks forgot the fairies, I guess.  And as I grew up, I found that I hadn’t been gifted with wealth or beauty or talents or charm——­”

“I know,” Mary Alice broke in.

Godmother looked surprised.

“I mean, I know how that feels,” Mary Alice explained.

“Then you know I was pretty unhappy until—­something happened.  I met a charming woman, once, who was so sweet and sympathetic that my heart just opened to her as flowers to sunshine; and I told her how I felt.  ‘Well, that was an oversight!’ she said, ’but you know what to do about it, don’t you?’ I said I didn’t.  ‘Why!’ she said, ’the fairies had their gifts all ready to bring, and when they were not invited to the party, what would they naturally do?’ ’Give them to some one else!’ I cried.  I shall never forget how reproachfully she looked at me.  ‘That is a purely human trick!’ she said; ’fairies are never guilty of it.  When they have something for you, they keep it for you till you get it.  If they were not asked to your party, it’s your business to hunt them out and get your gifts.  Somewhere in the world your own is waiting for you.’  That was a magic thought:  Somewhere in the world your own is waiting for you.  I couldn’t get away from it; it filled my mind, waking and asleep.  And I set out to find if it was true.”

“And was it?”