The Ruby Ring

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1904 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XII A HAPPY CHANGE If anything, the fairies seemed even more lively and amusing the next day than hitherto. They petted Sybil in every way, and did not laugh at her at all. On the contrary. Moonshine--if that was still her name--I mean the fairy who had been the first to speak to her and who had seemed to take a special charge of her since her arrival, kept begging her to rest if she felt at all tired, and told the others that she would not allow them to tease her pretty baby in any way. "You know, sweet child," she said coaxingly, "you can't expect to become one of us entirely all at once. It takes a little time to get quite out of earthways." And as she said this, Sybil, who was very much on the alert since overhearing the conversation the night before, saw her give a glance at the ruby ring--a glauce of irritation, even though the gem was turned inside, so that it could not hurt Moonshine's eyes, as she had complained of. "Yes," said Sybil, " I suppose it does," but she did not repeat to the fairy what she had already told her--that she did not want to forget her old life. "I can't help growing a little tired and sleepy by night," she went on. "I suppose if I were a real fairy I should never feel like that." "Of course not," was the reply. "Not but that we like a little rest now and then, but not for nearly half our time, like you poor mortals," and she laughed. "But you will be all right soon, and in the meantime sleep as much as you like. You shall go to bed this evening even earlier than last night." "Yes," said Sybil, "I should like to." She knew quite well the fairy's real motive for proposing this, but it suited her own plans too. In her dreams the night before, some verses she had once learnt had returned to her memory:...