Page:The House Without Windows.djvu/128

 Eepersip came back that day in a strange way. Fleuriss was looking down on the meadowy side of the hill, where the long green grass waved in the wind and butterflies were fluttering. And us she looked, suddenlythere was Eepersip standing in front of her. She had come from nowhereshe was just there without coming at all. Fleuriss was appalled. She remembered that strange dancingwas her sister about to melt into the air? Fleuriss stood stock-still.

Finally she raised her head and said, at first faintly, but with growing enthusiasm: "Oh, Eepersip, last night there was a great rose, and I was inside itand I found a beautiful lake with fishes in itoh, wonderful fishes of silverand the beautiful birdie sang me to sleep in the flowers." And then, her voice sounding strangely timid: "O EepersipI wantMotherto see itso beautiful. I loveit here, but—I know Mother would like to see it, too. And I guess I can't get along without her. I guess I can't, Eepersip."

Eepersip was broken-hearted. "But, Fleuriss," she saidand Fleuriss shuddered a very little as Eepersip took her hand"Fleuriss if your mother came, she would take you back home, and you would not be here any more. If she would