Page 64 - Adventures in shadow-land

dragging him off the path, to carry him away
with it.
But Eva was not going to lose her charge.

Springing forward, she threw her arms around
him. And as her dress touched the web, it fell

off, releasing him; and the spider, unfolding a
pair of blue wings, flew into the forest with a loud

cry of disappointment; and as it flew away, its
shape changed, and Eva, looking after it, with her

arms Still around Aster, saw that it had one of the
terrible faces which she had seen so often before.

Then it disappeared, and the two went on, or
rather tried to go on, for Aster complained that

his feet were fastened to the ground; and then
Eva saw that they were still tangled in some of the

spider’s web; and both Eva and Aster tried in
vain to break it. But Eva was nearly m despair,

when, as she stooped, one of her long golden
curls brushed against the web, and then it melted

away and vanished like smoke.
Then, and not till then, were they able to go

on. But Aster walked forward unwillingly, and
complained that he was tired, and began to insist
upon Eva’s stopping to.rest. But she felt that