In their dress of yellow gold,
In their petals white,
I can see the fairy folk
Gathered here to-night!
From the shadow the child watched her, sullenly, suspiciously. But with her loosened hair falling down over her pink dressing gown, Nancy herself looked an eerie little sprite; in a moment the child's alarm vanished. Of course she knew that this must be Miss Sabriny Leavitt's niece, but it was fun, anyway, to pretend that she was the Moon-Queen! And she must be very, very nice not to have "chased" her at once! And she might stop dancing, too, any moment! So out she ran to join Nancy, with hands outstretched, and together they capered and danced around among the old trees until, quite out of breath, Nancy fell upon the soft grass.
"Oh, goodness me, what fun! Now come here, Miss Fairy, and tell me who you are? Are you a fairy come from the Village of Tall Grass in yonder field?"
The child, completely won, dropped at Nancy's feet.
"I'm Nonie Hopworth."
"Oh-h!" Nancy was genuinely surprised. "Are you Davy's sister?"
The child nodded. "Yep." She regarded Nancy closely. "You're different, aren't you?"
Nancy caught her meaning. "Yes, I'm different—at least, I'm not exactly like——"
"Miss Sabriny or—or B'lindy. She'd have chased me! That's why I come here to play at night. Anyway, it's easier to pretend at night. Do you ever pretend, Miss?"
"Call me Nancy, do! Of course, I pretend, often! I love to."