CHAPTER X.
A NEW ACQUAINTANCE.
ONE night Rosebud was awakened in the middle of the night by the moon shining full in her face; and, while lying there awake, she heard a noise of some one moving in the next room. Presently the outer door shut, and the footsteps were heard outside.
Rosebud sprang to her little window, and saw the old woman hobbling away quite fast, and carrying a lighted lantern.
Now Rosebud had, besides a whole heart full of love, two other things very good in their place, namely, great curiosity and great courage. The first of these caused her to wonder why granny should carry a lighted lantern on such a bright night, and the second to follow and find out for herself.
Throwing an old cloak about her, she hastened out, and caught sight of the old woman disappearing over the brow of a hill. Running quite fast, she gained the top, and saw granny with her cane fast crossing the meadow beyond.
After the meadow came another hill, then a hollow, then still another hill very steep, and then a wide strip of barren land called “The Plains.” Beyond this was the Enchanted Wood. And it was towards this Wood that the old woman directed her steps,—Rosebud following not far behind, her little bare feet never heeding the stones.
But very suddenly granny disappeared. It seemed to Rosebud that the old woman must have sunk into the earth. She came to the very spot where the flutter of her blue blanket had a moment before been seen, but could find no trace of her. It was very near the edge of the wood. But granny could not have entered, for just there the thicket was thorny and tangled, and not even the crack of a twig or the rustle of a leaf had Rosebud heard.
“I am very far from home,” thought the little girl, looking round, “and in the middle of the night too. But is not the moonlight as safe as the sunlight? It is surely much prettier.”
Everything was quiet. The trees seemed holding their branches still for the moon to shine upon them. How they glistened in its rays! only stirring a very little now and then, with a rustle, whispering softly, just to tell what pretty things some passing zephyr had said to them.