THE GOLD OF FAIRNILEE. 303

 

crawled along in their direction, very slowly,
as if she were looking for something in the
grass.

Then she stopped, still looking very closely
at the grass.

Next she jumped to her feet with a shrill cry,
clapping her hands; and then she turned, and
was actually running along the edge of the
marsh, towards Fairnilee.

‘“ Nurse!’ shouted Randal, and she stopped
suddenly, in a fright, and let the fairy bottle
fall.

It struck on a stone, and broke to pieces with
a jingling sound, and the few drops of strange
water in it ran away into the grass.

“‘Oh, ma bairns, ma bairns, what have you
made me do?” cried the old nurse pitifully.
‘“‘ The fairy gift is broken, and maybe the Gold
of Fairnilee, that my eyes have looked on, will
ne’er be seen again.”