40 Lily and Water-Lily.

 

‘the sun had lain full on the violet-beds all day
long.

“Why, how sweet it is in here!” cried Pearl, and
the pretty smile came back once more to her face.
“What can it be?”

She looked around her, but the lily stood back in
the shade, and she could not see him without looking
for him, and so she passed him by.

She went out on the other side of the little copse,
into the broad sunshine that lay on the torrent-bed
under the great cliff. And Ruby followed her.

The butterflies were sporting out there in the hot
air, thousands of them, up and down over the flowers,
blue and yellow and scarlet.

“Come, let us play with the butterflies,” said Ruby.
“ They are prettier than the flowers.”

Now, Pearl was wont to stand still in the light,
and stretch out her arms and invite the butterflies to
come to her. And they would come and settle all
over her white neck, until she was decked out as with
a hundred jewels, and then she would laugh with joy.