Page 28 - Adventures in shadow-land

The Gift of the Fountain. 25

no spot where the little flame-sent in els, like faith­
ful soldiers on duty, would permit her to pass.

And then she would have turned away from the
beautiful water,— her foot, indeed, had left the

path,— when she heard a voice, even sweeter
and more silvery than the voice of the brook,

coming from the very midst of the fountain, and
saying:

" E v a ! E v a ! have no fear,
To the fountain’s brink come nesr."

And hearing these words, Eva stood still in
surprise, yet without obeying them. But, after

a moment’s pause, the voice repeated the words.
Then, for the first time since her wanderings

had begun, Eva spoke, and her voice sounded
strange in her own ears, low though it was:

“ How can I cross the fire?5'
A little, low, melodious laugh, like that of a

merry child, answered her; and when Eva looked
to see whence it came, she saw that the little knot

upon the end of her cane was a real head, that
the lips were laughing, and that from the queer
eyes came two funny little blue flames j and as

C