The Flame-Flower 63

flame-flower, which lay always gently flicker-
ing upon her breast, fell to the Moor. Honora
would have picked it up to replace it; but
it escaped her hand, and crept along to
the door, and so out. Then Flamma raised
herself, and said—

“The flower calls us, and we must follow
it. JI am strong enough to walk.”

But Evan and Honora said, “It cannot
be. You are too weak to go.” Yet they
saw that the girl knew better than they ; so
they made her a litter of boughs, and put
her upon it, covering her with an awning of
skins; and carried her out. Honora took up
the flower, and put it in her breast, and it
cast a ray through the forest; so they took
up the litter and followed the path of the ray,
travelling slowly, and none when Honora
grew weary.

One night, on their journey, when they
had made a tent of boughs and put Flamma
under it, and she slept, they saw the flame-
flower fall to the ground; and Evan would
have picked it up; but it burnt his fingers,
so that he needs must let it go. It crept