"Does Robin know wot this 'ul do for 'im and 'is h'old mammie?" "No, mammie--wot, wot?" Then Helen sat down again on the floor, and taking the child in her arms, told him a wonderful story--a story beside which the poor tale of Almira and her fairy faded into nothing. That ring was very valuable; it would bring in money--a lot of money. Helen meant to sell the ring and get the money. "Would Robin like to know what she intended to do with that money?" "Yes," answered the eager child in an excited voice. "Well, she would do a wonderful thing. She was tired of London; Robin was tired of London: she and Robin should leave London for ever. Robin liked flowers and green fields; he should sec them--live amongst them. He and Helen would go away in a big ship, far over the blue, blue sea, to a far-away country. There they could live in the green fields, and gather the flowers and be happy--a thousand, ten thousand times happier than they ever were in London! "And prig things?" asked Robin. "Will it be h'easy to prig things h'out there, mother?" "No, no, laddie; we'll not prig--we'll do nothink there as we did here." "But why, mammie?" "Cause we'll lead an h'altogether fresh life--we'll be honest h'out there." "What's honest?" asked the child. "Never mind; I'll tell you wen we get there." Robin was silent; Helen clasped him closely in her arms. His question had caused some emotion in her heart: her hard face was softened; there was a contraction of pain on her brow. "What's honest?" asked the little child. Oh that she could tell him--that she dared to tell him! Helen had not even yet lost all love for virtue. And at this moment, in that poor heart, the desire after goodness was strong. When they went to America, she and the child might give up being thieves. In America it might be possible for them both neither to starve nor to eat the bread of dishonesty. Thus, at this moment, the longing that the new life might be an honest life was the most passionate feeling she had concerning it. The child, weary of her silence, fell asleep in her arms. The moon shone full on the black lashes lying on the round cheek, on the golden-crowned head, on the sweet smiling lips. Oh! how she loved him! how sweet it would be to her even yet, notwithstanding all her sin and defilement, to feel that he might grow up good, virtuous, and happy! She took the diamond ring again out of her pocket, looking with pleasure at its flashing gems. Poor Helen! by this evil road she thought she could reach the safe path of virtue. CHAPTER IV. _THE SHOPS FROM END TO END WERE WIDELY OPEN._