its banks which rocked a little in the flutter of North Wind's garments.
Then came houses on the banks, each standing in a lovely lawn with grand
trees. In parts, the river was so high that some of the grass and some
of the roots of the trees were under water. As they glided through the
stems, Diamond could see the grass at the bottom of the water. How like
it was to the river which ran through the country at the back of the
north wind! And now he seemed to hear more and more clearly its
murmured song till at last the words came out plainly.

The sun is gone down,
And the moon's in the sky.
But the sun will come up
And the moon be laid by.

The flower is asleep
But it is not dead.
When the morning shines
It will lift its head.

When winter comes
Will it die? Oh, no!
It will only hide
From the frost and snow.

Sure is the summer,
Sure is the sun.
The night and the winter
Are shadows that run!

They left the river and began to float about and over the houses one
after another--beautiful rich houses which like fine trees had taken
hundreds of years to grow. Scarcely a light was to be seen, and not a
movement to be heard. All the people lay fast asleep in dreams.

But a little later they came floating past a window in which a light
was burning. Diamond heard a moan coming from it and looked up anxiously
into North Wind's face. By a shaded lamp, a lady in a soft white wrapper
sat trying to read and forget the pain which made her moan softly while
she read. North Wind seemed to read Diamond's thought and floated
silently in at the window. Diamond began singing softly the song of the
river with its soothing murmuring strain. When he finished, out of the
window they slipped away and floated on.

"Did she hear, North Wind?" said Diamond. "Did she know we were trying
to help her--and will it help her?"

"She heard you," answered North Wind. "She heard with her heart, though,
and not with her ears. She will not forget, but she will never
understand till----"

"Till she gets to the back of the north wind," said Diamond.

North Wind smiled. Then she turned so that he could look down at the
place over which they were passing.

"Oh!" he cried out suddenly. "I know where we are now. This is my old
home before we moved into the city. Do let me get down and go