Page 224 - Adventures in shadow-land

"W ithout saying good-bye?”
said the mermaid,
smiling as though she did not care a bit,
“ I didn’t know you'd come home till I heard
you singing. I sh a V t be gone lon g; what shall
i bring you?”
** A tame seal to play with, if you can remem­
ber it/*
“ Tie a string round my finger/' said the mer­
man,
“ You can wear th is /’ she Said, holding up a
seal ring of red camelian. 111 found it in the
garden; I suppose it belonged to some human
being,”
It was a large seal ring, having two interlaced
triangles cut in the stone.
** That’s a spell/* said , the merman) “ it will
keep away evil spirits.”
“ Then wear it/ ’ said the mermaid, holding it
out to him, and he slipped it on his finger,
u Good-bye,” she said ; ft you won't forget the
tame seal ?’ *
“ Certainly not; I'll be home in time to dance
at your birth-day party.”
The mermaid swam away to the house, turning