The White Lily. 39

 

grayling which it pierced with the sharp point of its
beak, and then slowly swallowed.

Pearl watched the kingfisher intently. She had
often, very often, seen it do the same thing before,
but she had never thought so.much about it.

“Tf the kingfisher may eat the fishes, and Mother
Earth does not punish him, I wonder why we may
not pick the flowers?” said she presently, pouting her
pretty lips and knitting her smooth brow till she no
longer looked like the pretty little girl that Mother
Earth had made of her, but like somebody quite
different.

“T don’t know why, I am sure,” answered Ruby,
doubtfully. :

Pearl turned and walked up the meadow to the
bank where the lily grew.

She parted the willows with her hands, and walked
up the bank, Ruby following. There she stood still
and paused.

The air was fragrant as she had never felt it
before, no, not even on a hot summer’s eve, when