Foot it featly here and there.'

"Oh! foot it featly, and feat it footly, and dance and sing, and
tootle-ty ting!" cried the child, as she flitted like a golden cloud
about the room. Then, as she whirled round and faced the door, she
stopped short. Her arms fell by her side, and she stood as if
spellbound, looking at the lady who stood in the doorway.

The lady made no motion at first, but only gazed at her with loving
and tender eyes. She was a beautiful lady, and her eyes were soft
and blue, with a look of tears in them. But there was no answering
softness in the starry eyes of the child: only a wide, wild look of
wonder, of anger, perhaps of fear. Presently the lady, still silent,
raised both hands, and kissed them tenderly to the child; then laid
them on her breast, and then held them out to her with a gesture of
loving appeal.

"I don't know whether you are a spirit of health or a goblin damned,"
said Star; "but anyhow it isn't polite to come into people's houses
without knocking, _I_ think. I knowed you were a spirit when you
looked at me yesterday, if you _did_ have a red shawl on."

"How did you know that I was a spirit?" asked the lady softly. "Oh,
little Star, how did you know?"

"'Cause you looked like my poor mamma's picture," replied the child,
"that my poor papa had round his neck. Are you my mamma's spirit?"

The lady shook her head. "No, darling," she said, "I am no spirit.
But I have come to see you, little Star, and to tell you something.