olk there were not many. A few mothers with brown babies in
their arms; a few mumbling crones, and bent old men with faces like
strange masks; but the flow of children never ceased.

As the children of Hamlin followed the Pied Piper to the sea, so the
black browed children of Eze followed the Christmas visitors from
crooked street to crooked street, up to the castle ruins and back again.
They did not shout as they took their gifts; but still the murmur ran
from mouth to mouth: "Bella Madonna, bella Madonna."

At the end of an enchanted hour, when there was not a child in Eze who
had not both hands full, the benefactors turned to go, with empty
baskets. Massed on the plateau above the mule-path, the whole population
of the village stood to watch them down the steep descent. As they went,
the church bells of Eze boomed out, calling all pious souls, young and
old, to vespers; and as if the loosened tongues of the bells loosened
also the tongues of the children, at last there arose a cry.

"Come again, Bella Madonna and little angel, come again. We shall pray
to see you next Christmas Day, Bella Madonna and little angel. Don't
forget, next Christmas Day."

* * * * *

"I'm perfectly happy, dearest," said Rosemary, when once more they sat
in the car, spinning back from the shaded eyrie to the fair world where
the sunshine lay.

The others did not speak, but the same thought was in their hearts.

When you are positively bursting with happiness the best outlet for the
surplus quantity is to benefit somebody else; and there is no time like
Christmas for a successful experiment.

"What else can we do for somebody?" asked Hugh.

"There's Jane," suggested Rosemary. "I told her this morning how I went
out and found a father, and she said Pooh, he was all in my eye; and
besides she'd never heard of fathers growing on blackberry bushes. But
if we bought her a present, and you gave it to her yourself, she'd have
to believe in you."

"I shan't feel I have a sure hold on existence until she does," said
Hugh. "Let's buy her something without the loss of a moment."

So they bought Jane a ring, which Rosemary chose herself after mature
deliberation, and with due regard to the recipient's somewhat pronounced
taste in colours.

"She admires red and green together more than anything," said the child,
"and I want her to have what she really likes, because if it hadn't been
for her I shouldn't have kn