alf as beautiful.

But though the lady was so lovely there was something very familiar
about her face. "Why, Counterpane Fairy!" cried Teddy.

The Counterpane Fairy, for it was indeed she, did not speak, but smiling
at Teddy she moved softly and smoothly, as though swept along by the
music to the side of the bed, and, still smiling, she bent above the
little boy.

As he looked up into the face that leaned above him, it seemed to change
in some strange way, and now it was the old Italian woman who had given
him the presents from her basket; a moment after it was the face of the
little child who had talked with him upon the rainbow; no, it was not;
it was really the Counterpane Fairy herself, and no one else.

Closer and closer she leaned above him, seeming to enfold him with
faint music and light and perfume. "Good-bye," she whispered softly.
"Good-bye! little boy."

"Oh, Counterpane Fairy! where are you going? Don't go away!" cried
Teddy.

"I'm not going away," said the fairy. "I shall be beside you still just
as often as ever, only you won't see me."

"But won't there be any more stories?" cried Teddy, in dismay.

"Sometime, perhaps," said the Counterpane Fairy, "but not now, for
to-morrow you'll be out and playing with the other boys, and after that
it will be your school and your games that you'll be thinking of."

"Oh, Counterpane Fairy, don't go!" cried Teddy again, reaching out his
arms toward her; but they touched nothing but empty air. Waving her hand
to him and still smiling, the Counterpane Fairy slowly, slowly faded
away. With her too, faded the rosy light and the perfume that had filled
the room; only the faint sound of music was left. Then it too died away.

Teddy sat up and looked about him. The room was very still and dim. He
heard nothing but the ticking of the clock. The half-moon had sailed up
above the dark tops of the pine-trees on the lawn outside, and by its
light he saw the great kite that papa had made him, as it stood propped
up on the mantle. The gilt star in the middle of it shone.

It was true that he was no longer a little sick child. To-morrow he
would be out-of-doors again, and shouting and playing with all the other
boys.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Counterpane Fairy, by Katharine Pyle

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE COUNTERPANE FAIRY ***

***** This file should be named 3230.txt or 3230.zip *****
This and all associated files of various