90 Golden Apples and Roses Red

fruit and flowers of Paradise which she sent
to Theophilus. ‘“ And I would,” he sighed
under his breath, “‘ that she would send such
a gift to me.”

“ All this I know,” said Dorothy, “for I
have learnt thy song of Golden Apples and
Roses Red, and I love it most of all thy
songs, though these be many and sung all
about the world, I think. And this I will
tell thee of thy songs, that I saw in a dream
once how they were not mere words and
melody, but living things. Like the bright
heads of baby Angels were they, and they
were catried on wings as it were of rose-
leaves, and they fluttered about the people
who loved them and sang them, leading
them into blessed paths and whispering to
them holy and happy thoughts.”

“God be blessed and praised for ever, if
it be so,” said Waldo; “but this was no
more than a maiden’s dream.”

For two winters Dorothy ministered to
the poor leper, and during this while no one
save Waldo knew of her being in the woods,
and no other man set eyes on her. The
fourth year of his exile was now drawing to