106 FOREST FANCIES 



gravely, ^^I believe that you and I will meet 

 again. It may not be in this forest ; but some- 

 where, some day, somehow, you and I will meet 

 again I '^ 



III. — The Paper Nest 



The sun slipped back of the mountain and 

 night settled down, but Picea could not sleep, 

 though she seemed to be dreaming under the 

 silver coverlet of moonlight. 



** Perhaps I am not always to be a tree,'' she 

 whispered to the night wind. 



** Sleep, little tree," said the old spruce, 

 though Picea was now almost as tall as she. 

 **A11 too soon the change may come. When I 

 was a little seed, I slept content in the shelter- 

 ing cone until it was time to be a tree, though 

 it seemed a long, long while. This same trust I 

 have ever tried to teach you since the wind 

 brought you to the shelter of my boughs." 



'^Tou have been a good foster-mother," said 

 Picea, softly. 



"Only a nurse-tree !" laughed a pretty little 



