Page 129 - Adventures in shadow-land

were now white like milk. Tall, shadowy forms

every now and then rose from it, and made
threatening gestures; yet they always vanished

before she came up to them. The banks of the
river became high and steep, and Eva was com­

pelled to walk in its bed; at times these rocky
sides were so close together that it looked as if
it would be almost impossible to pass between

them; then again it would spread out into
a vast expanse, with no visible limit, or else the

water would run, not down, hut up a rocky slope;
it would smoke, and yet the water would be

freezingly cold ; masses of something as clear as
ice would float in this smoking water* which

were so warm that Eva could scarcely bear her
hand upon them; on one of these masses lay a

bird, like a robin, worn and exhausted, its
feathers all wet and ruffled. Eva took it up ten­

derly, smoothed and dried its plumage, and held
it till it was warm. And then the bird, seem­

ingly impatient of her gentle hold, struggled to
get free, and Eva released it, and in another mo­

ment it was gone too.
And then she came to where another old