66 Lily and Water-Lily.

 

A flowering Judas-tree grew out of a cleft in the
rock. It was on that that she put her foot, and at
last—oh, happy Pearl!—her fingers closed around
the strong, straight stem of the coveted flower, and
she felt its faint perfume upon her face.

Happy—but only for a moment.

Before. she had had time to bend the tall stem
towards her, the branch of the faithless Judas-tree,
that for ever is an emblem of treachery among trees
and flowers, snapped beneath her weight, and, with
one terrible cry, Pearl fell backwards into the ravine
below.

* * * * *

The night wore away, and still Ruby slept.

The moon rose and climbed the sky and sailed
away through the fleecy clouds towards the horizon
once more, and still Ruby slept.

Though he had closed his eyes long before the
flowers and the birds had closed theirs, he slept still.

A purple poppy lay upon his breast, clasped tightly
in his brown hand, and he could not wake.