CHAPTER XIII.

THE WHITE PALACE—THE KING'S COUNTRY AND MRS. DISCIPLINE’S
COTTAGE.

 
  
    

1H ERE never was such a bath as that which the
| tired children now enjoyed.

Asphodel came to help Amethyst in her
care of the two little girls. Asphodel had the
gentlest look of all the sisters, and it was she who

tucked Primrose and Martha up in their little
iN white beds and told them to sleep.
"rh \ “T give you each the kiss of peace,” she said ; “ now
Neila sleep—rest—rest, and be thankful.” She glided out of the
. room as she spoke, and Amethyst followed her. Far away
in the distance the children heard the echoes of the same lovely song :
“Welcome! for the prize is won.” They slept to the sounds of the
birds, to the cooing of many doves, to the tinkling noise of crystal
water, and with the sweet scent of the flowers borne in to them on
the soft summer breeze. Their sleep was very healing and restoring,
and when they awoke they could scarcely believe they were the same
tired children who had crawled up to the White Palace at daybreak.

A few minutes after they had opened their eyes Asphodel and Iris
came into the room. They bore in their arms some dazzlingly white
dresses, of a kind which the children had never seen before.

“These arrived this morning straight from the palace of our Lord
the King,” they exclaimed; “ but before you put them on you must
eat a little of this honey and take a morsel each of this barley-cake.
Your next meal will be in the country of the King himself, therefore
all you need now is a very light refreshment to help you during the
short time that you will be here.”