ore some of
them, which was easy enough with such ragged old things. And he put his
poor hot sore feet into the water; and then his legs; and the farther he
went in, the more the church-bells rang in his head.

"Ah," said Tom, "I must be quick and wash myself; the bells are ringing
quite loud now; and they will stop soon, and then the door will be shut,
and I shall never be able to get in at all."

Tom was mistaken: for in England the church doors are left open all
service time, for everybody who likes to come in, Churchman or
Dissenter; ay, even if he were a Turk or a Heathen; and if any man dared
to turn him out, as long as he behaved quietly, the good old English law
would punish that man, as he deserved, for ordering any peaceable person
out of God's house, which belongs to all alike. But Tom did not know
that, any more than he knew a great deal more which people ought to
know.

[Illustration: "She was the Queen of them all."--_P. 44._]

And all the while he never saw the Irishwoman, not behind him this time,
but before.

For just before he came to the river side, she had stept down into the
cool clear water; and her shawl and her petticoat floated off her, and
the green water-weeds floated round her sides, and the white
water-lilies floated round her head, and the fairies of the stream came
up from the bottom and bore her away and down upon their arms; for she
was the Queen of them all; and perhaps of more besides.

"Where have you been?" they asked her.

"I have been smoothing sick folks' pillows, and whispering sweet dreams
into their ears; opening cottage casements, to let out the stifling air;
coaxing little children away from gutters, and foul pools where fever
breeds; turning women from the gin-shop door, and staying men's hands as
they were going to strike their wives; doing all I can to help those who
will not help themselves; and little enough that is, and weary work for
me. But I have brought you a new little brother, and watched him safe
all the way here."

Then all the fairies laughed for joy at the thought that they had a
little brother coming.

"But mind, maidens, he must not see you, or know that you are here. He
is but a savage now, and like the beasts which perish; and from the
beasts which perish he must learn. So you must not play with him, or
speak to him, or let him see you: but only keep him from being harmed."

Then the fairies were sad, because they could not play with their new