to pounce upon her. She saw now that she ought to have run up the
stairs
at once. It was well she did not scream; for, although very few of the
goblins had come out for weeks, a stray idler or two might have heard
her. She sat down upon a stone, and nobody but one who had done
something wrong could have been more miserable. She had quite
forgotten
her promise to visit her grandmother. A rain-drop fell on her face. She
looked up, and for a moment her terror was lost in astonishment. At
first she thought the rising moon had left her place, and drawn nigh to
see what could be the matter with the little girl, sitting alone,
without hat or cloak, on the dark bare mountain; but she soon saw she
was mistaken, for there was no light on the ground at her feet, and no
shadow anywhere. But a great silvery globe was hanging in the air; and
as she gazed at the lovely thing, her courage revived. If she were but
indoors again she would fear nothing, not even the terrible creature
with the long legs! But how was she to find her way back? What could
that light be? Could it be--? No, it couldn't. But what if it should
be--yes--it must be--her great-great-grandmother's lamp, which
guided
her pigeons home through the darkest night! She jumped up: she had
but
to keep that light in view, and she must find the house.
Madhuri Noah
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