124 BHYOND THE BLUE MOUNTAINS.

Primrose felt her eyes fill with tears.

“I am dreadfully sorry,” she said.

“Don’t ery,” said Patience; “ you are a very brave dear child,
although you did wrong in the beginning. There isn’t the least
fear for you. Go to sleep, now, and I will wake you when the
morning breaks.”

Two or three minutes later tired little Primrose was in a
dreamless slumber. The next morning she awoke feeling fresh and
strong, and with a great courage in her heart.

“Please, Patience,’ she said, “let me go back to the cottage
now, that I may rescue Buttercup.”

“Kat your breakfast first, dear,” said Patience. “There is
no special hurry, and you cannot do good work if you feel faint
and hungry.”

Primrose looked into the grey rather stern face of the lady who
was bending over her, and found the irritable feeling in her little
heart gradually dying out. She ate her bread and milk quickly,
and then stood by the side of Patience.

“What am I to do to rescue my brother?” she asked.

“When you get back to the cottage,” said Patience, “you will
be kindly received, and only one temptation will come to you.”

“What is that?” asked Primrose.

“You will be asked to wear a wreath of white roses. What-
ever you do, do not allow that wreath to touch your head. Go
now, my child; fear nothing. This little path leads directly to
the cottage. Step by step you will see the right thing to do
when the moment for action arrives.”

Primrose scarcely kissed Patience in her hurry to be off. She
ran down the narrow winding path, and in less than five minutes
found herself standing by a wicket gate which led into the rustic
garden where the cottage stood. She opened it at once, and went
straight up to the porch. Convolvulus was standing there. She
wore her pale green dress, and looked more beautiful and gentle
and sad than ever. Primrose could not help a queer flutter in her
heart when she looked into the lovely face of this lady.