“‘Perhaps, a little—’ said Merope, doubtfully; ‘and all the songs made one; and—I don’t know what it said, but I think—’ then she hesitated.
“‘Go on!’ said Maia.
“‘I think it said, they were glad they were alive.’
“‘Of course,’ said Cassiopeia. ‘Then what?’
“‘Then it was time for me to come home.’
“‘Didn’t you dread coming through the dark place again?’ asked Electra.
“‘Yes. But I knew I could get through. And it wasn’t so hard as going; all I had to do was to come the way I wanted to. So I just came.’
“‘But, Merope,’ said Andromeda, ‘where is your new star?’
“Then every one of the Star People looked at Merope, and saw—what not one of them had noticed before, they were so glad to have her back—her own, strange, vanishing star still glinted above her forehead.
“‘Couldn’t you find the right kind?’ asked Taygeta.