little 'un's mother's come back. Goodbye,--good-bye, little miss."

He could take Dolly's hand into his own this morning, and he looked down
curiously at it,--a small, rosy, dimpled hand, such as he had never seen
before so closely. A lump rose in his throat, and his eyelids smarted
with tears again. It was such a little thing, such a pretty little thing,
he said to himself, covering it fondly with his other hand. There was no
fear that Tony would forget to come back to old Oliver's house.

"Thank you for my breakfast," he said, with a choking voice; "only if
I do come to see you, it'll be to see her again--not for anythink as
I can get."




CHAPTER V.

FORSAKEN AGAIN.


The next three days were a season of unmixed happiness to old Oliver. The
little child was so merry, yet withal so gentle and sweet-tempered, that
she kept him in a state of unwearied delight, without any alloy of
anxiety or trouble. She trotted at his side with short, running
footsteps, when he went out early in the morning to fetch his daily stock
of newspapers. She watched him set his room tidy, and made believe to
help him by dusting the legs and seats of his two chairs. She stood with
folded hands and serious face, looking on as he was busy with his
cooking. When she was not thus engaged she played contentedly with Beppo,