The White Lily. AI

 

But to-day something ailed the butterflies. Pearl
stood still a long while, and not one of them came
near her. They all flitted away on the haze of heat
and left her alone.

The tears came into her eyes, but she dashed them ©
angrily away.

Ruby stamped his foot.

It seemed quite absurd that everything should be
changed because Pearl had plucked a garland from
off a hedge.

He began to run after the butterflies, stretching ©
out his hands to catch them. At first they would
not be caught; they flitted in front of ‘him and
got away from him. But at last his hand did close
over one, a beautiful red butterfly with handsome
spots on it.

“Ah! I have got one,” he cried.

But when he opened his hand there was only a
little golden dust upon his fingers, and a crushed
wing fell to the ground. The children knew that the
butterfly also was dead.