Page 171 - Adventures in shadow-land

remain together, the finding of the flower would
be the signal for their parting; and the toil

and trouble through which Eva had passed for
Aster’s sake had only the more endeared him

to her. He seemed already far, far away from
her, and Eva knew she was no longer necessary

to him.
And as Eva, sitting by Aster's side, thought

of all this* somehow the place where they sat
seemed to grow more familiar; another and a well-
known sound mingled with the other sounds of

the forest,—the voicc of falling waters. And tiiefl*
as Aster’s face grew brighter and more expectant,

and his starlike eyes sparkled, Eva felt a sudden
dimness gather in her own, and first one large

tear and then another rolled down her cheeks,
and dropped, as she bent over it, into the waters

of the little spring.
But she was wholly unprepared for what fol­
lowed, Aster sprang to his feet, and the words,

“ Look, Eva, look!” passed his lips. And as
Eva, her hand now clasped in his, looked, the

spring bubbled and foamed, and then, its waters
parting, up rose from its bosom the Golden