though Diamond
thought the odour must come out of the flowers. A gentle air breathed in
his face but he was not quite sure he did not miss the wind. A river as
clear as crystal ran not only through the grass but over it too. It
murmured a low, sweet song as it ran. There was no sun nor moon but a
pure cloudless light always, and the blue arch of the sky seemed like a
harp playing the soft airs of Heaven. There were many people there and
all the people seemed happy and yet as if they were going to be happier
some day.

Nothing ever went wrong at the back of the north wind and the only thing
one ever missed was some one he loved who had not yet got there. But if
one at the back of the north wind wanted to know how things were going
with any one he loved, he had only to go to a certain tree, and climb up
and sit down in the branches.

One day, when Diamond was sitting in this tree, he began to long very
much to get home again. And no wonder! For he saw his mother crying. Now
if you wished anything at the back of the north wind, you could follow
your wish if you could find the way. So Diamond knew that he must now
find North Wind. He could not go home without her and therefore he must
find her. He went all about searching and searching. One day as he was
looking and looking, he thought he caught a glimpse of the ice ridge and
the misty form of North Wind seated as he had left her. He ran as hard
as he could. Yes, he was sure it was she. He pushed on through the
whiteness, which began to thicken around him. It was harder and harder
to go but he struggled on and at last reached her and sank wearily down
at her knees. At that same moment, the country at her back vanished from
Diamond's view.

North Wind was as still as Diamond had left her. But as he touched her,
her face began to change like that of one waking from sleep. He
clambered up upon her breast. She gave a great sigh, slowly lifted her
arms, and slowly folded them about him, until she clasped him close.

"Have you been sitting here ever since I went through you, dear North
Wind? It has been like a hundred years!" said Diamond.

"It has been just seven days," said North Wind smiling. "Come now, we
will go."

The next moment, Diamond sat alone on the rock. North Wind had vanished.
But something like a cockchafer flew past his face. Around and around
him in circles it went.

"Come along, Diamond," it said in his ear. "It is time we were setting
out for Sandwich