rmione," he said, hastily. "Of course if you
really want to talk to Ruffo--"

"I don't think Vere will mind," she said.

Her lips were actually trembling, but her voice was calm.

They walked forward.

When they were close to the children they both saw there was a third
figure on the cliff. Gaspare was at a little distance. Hermione could
see the red point of his cigarette gleaming.

"Gaspare's there, too," she said.

"Yes."

"Why is he there?" Artois thought.

And again there woke up in him an intense curiosity about Gaspare.

Ruffo had seen them, and now he took off his cap. And Vere turned her
head and got up from the seat.

Neither the girl nor the boy gave any explanation of their being
together. Evidently they did not think it necessary to do so. Hermione
was the first to speak.

"Good-evening, Ruffo," she said.

Artois noticed a peculiar kindness and gentleness in her voice when she
spoke to the boy, a sound apart, that surely did not come into her voice
even when it spoke to Vere.

"Good-evening, Signora." He stood with his cap in his hand. "I have been
telling the Signorina what you have done for my poor mamma, Signora.
I did not tell her before because I thought she knew. But she did not
know."

Vere was looking at her mother with a shining of affection in her eyes.

At this moment Gaspare came up slowly, with a careless walk.

Artois watched him.

"About the little money, you mean?" said Hermione, rather hastily.

"Si, Signora. When I gave it to my poor mamma she cried again. But that
was because you were so kind. And she said to me, 'Ruffo, why should
a strange lady be so kind to me? Why should a strange lady think about
me?' she said. 'Ruffino,' she said, 'it must be Santa Maddalena who has
sent her here to be good to me.' My poor mamma!"

"The Signora does not want to be bothered with all this!" It was Gaspare
who had spoken, roughly, and who now pushed in between Ruffo and those
who were listening to his simple narrative.

Ruffo looked surprised, but submissive. Evidently he respected Gaspare,
and the two understood each other. And though Gaspare's words were
harsh, his eyes, as they looked at Ruffo, seemed to contradict them.
Nevertheless, there was excitement, a strung-up look in his face.

"Gaspare!" said Vere.

Her eyes shot fire.

"Signorina?"

"Madre does like to hear what Ruffo has to say. Don't you, Madre?"

Gaspare looked unmoved. His whole face was full of a dogg