Helen now appropriated Mrs. Riccabocca's arm; and, after a kind leave-
taking with the widow, the ladies returned towards Riccabocca's house.

Mrs. Fairfield, however, ran after them with Leonard's hat and gloves,
which he had forgotten.

"'Deed, boy," she said, kindly, yet scoldingly, "but there'd be no more
fine books, if the Lord had not fixed your head on your shoulders. You
would not think it, marm," she added to Mrs. Riccabocca, "but sin' he has
left you, he's not the 'cute lad he was; very helpless at times, marm!"

Helen could not resist turning round, and looking at Leonard, with a sly
smile.

The widow saw the smile, and catching Leonard by the arm, whispered,
"But where before have you seen that pretty young lady? Old friends!"

"Ah, Mother," said Leonard, sadly, "it is a long tale; you have heard the
beginning, who can guess the end?" and he escaped. But Helen still
leaned on the arm of Mrs. Riccabocca, and, in the walk back, it seemed to
Leonard as if the winter had re-settled in the sky.

Yet he was by the side of Violante, and she spoke to him with such praise
of Helen! Alas! it is not always so sweet as folks say to hear the
praises of one we love. Sometimes those praises seem to ask ironically,
"And what right hast thou to hope because thou lovest? All love her."