no!" exclaimed she. "Ourson is good--Violette will not
leave him."

"You are willing, then, that I shall embrace you? you are no longer
afraid of me?"

Violette, without further reply, threw herself in his arms. Ourson
embraced her tenderly and pressed her to his heart.

"Dear Violette, I will always love you. I will never forget that you
are the only child who was ever willing to speak to me, touch me or
embrace me."

A short time after they arrived at the farm. Agnella and Passerose were
seated at the door, talking together. When they saw Ourson arrive
holding a little girl richly dressed by the hand, they were so surprised
that neither could utter a word.

"Dear mamma, here is a good and charming little girl whom I found
sleeping in the forest. She is called Violette. She is very well bred
and is not afraid of me. She even embraced me when she saw me weeping."

"And why did you weep, my poor boy?" said Agnella.

"Because the little girl was afraid of me," said Ourson, in a sad and
trembling voice, "and hurt herself when trying to run away from me."

"Violette is not afraid now," said she, interrupting him hastily.
"Violette gave her hand to poor Ourson, embraced him and fed him with
cherries and strawberries."

"But what is all this about?" said Passerose. "Why has our Ourson the
charge of this little girl? why was she alone in the wood? who is she?
Answer, Ourson, I do not understand this."

"I know nothing more than yourself, dear Passerose," said Ourson. "I saw
this little child asleep in the wood all alone. She awoke and began to
weep. Suddenly she saw me and cried out in terror. I spoke to her and
began to approach her; but she screamed again with fright. I was
sorrowful--oh! so very sorrowful! I wept bitterly."

"Hush! hush! poor Ourson," exclaimed Violette, putting her little hand
on his mouth; "Violette will certainly never make you cry again."

While saying these words Violette's voice was trembling and her sweet
eyes were full of tears.

"Good little girl!" said Agnella, embracing her; "you love our poor
Ourson, who is so unhappy!"

"Oh, yes! Violette loves Ourson--will always love Ourson!"

Agnella and Passerose asked Violette many questions about her father,
mother and country; but they could learn nothing more from her than she
had already told Ourson. Her father was a king, her mother a queen and
she did not know how she came to be alone in the forest.

Agnella did not hesitate to ta