He arrived by the least frequented road, and when a few rods from the house once owned by Mrs. Buzzell, he sat down under a tree by the roadside. The birds were singing and chirping in the branches, the sun was warm, and the air balmy and delicious. As he sat there, a little child approached and stood silently regarding him with evident curiosity. It was a lovely child, whose soft, golden hair descended to her waist from under a quaint little mushroom-shaped hat of white straw. She was dressed very coquettishly, her stockings nicely gartered above the knee, short white dress with embroidered flounces, and pretty bronzed gaiter-boots. Her dress was protected by a jaunty white apron, with bib and pockets trimmed with crimson braid. Her blue eyes showed traces of tears, and the man looking at the charming little picture before him, soon discovered the cause—a dead canary-bird whose tiny claws and yellow tail peeped out of one of her apron pockets. “Well, I never before saw a little girl with a canary-bird in her apron pocket,” he said, trying to smile. “You never had a birdie die. _You_ never did; did you?” she asked, almost ready to sob. “No, I never had a birdie. I am sorry yours died.” The child took the dead bird from her pocket, and sitting down on a stone beside the man, caressed it and moaned pitifully, “Oh, birdie! birdie! I am so sorry Minnie gave you chocolate drops! Oh, birdie! birdie! How can I leave you in the cold ground! I shall never, never see you again!” The child’s distress touched the rough gambler’s heart, and he tried to console her. “What a beautiful thing this child is! Some rich man’s spoiled darling,” were his thoughts, and he sighed heavily. “Poor old man!” said the little one, forgetting her own trouble for a moment. “What is the matter?” “Do you think me so old? How old are you?” “I am six years old.” “Six years old!” repeated the man, and then he asked her name. “My name is Minnie von Frauenstein. I am Paul’s little girl, you know, and he gave me my birdie. Oh, it sung _so_ sweetly! and I gave it chocolate drops. Poor birdie! Minnie was so silly;” and the child sobbed again.