"Are you unhappy, monsieur? If you'd like to rest in our house, come in and we'll give you some supper." The child's voice startled the stranger, he started in surprise and scrutinized Coco closely; then he took his hand and squeezed it tenderly, saying in a voice choked by emotion: "What! is it you, my friend?" The boy, surprised to be addressed in that way, answered with a smile: "Do you know me, monsieur?" The wayfarer sighed, and replied after a moment: "Yes, I saw you once, long ago, here, on this spot; but at that time, instead of this pretty cottage, there was only an old ruined hovel here! What a transformation has taken place!" "Oh! it was my good friend who gave me the money for all this; for that's my house, monsieur, that is; but when he comes back, I'll thank him ever so much!" The stranger pressed the child's hand again, as he continued: "Won't you come in? Come, I'll tell Denise that you're going to have supper with us." "Denise! what, is Denise here?" exclaimed the stranger, detaining the child. "Yes, monsieur, we've lived together ever since her dear aunt died." "And is Denise married?" "No, monsieur.--Well, are you coming?" After a moment's hesitation, the stranger decided to follow the child, who took his hand and led him into the house. "Denise! Denise!" cried Coco, "here's some company! here's a gentleman, who's hungry!--You are hungry, ain't you?--Denise, come, I say!" But Denise was at the end of the garden and did not hear the child's voice; so he ran to the thicket of shrubbery to fetch her, and the stranger slowly followed him. "Dear Denise," said Coco, "I just saw a man on the road who looked very unhappy, and I asked him to come into the house; we'll give him some supper, won't we?" "Yes, my dear." "I did well to bring him in, for he looks as if he was poor; and yet he didn't beg." "Yes, you did well; let's go to him." "Look, he has followed me--there he is." The stranger had stopped at a little distance and was looking at Denise; the last rays of daylight rested on his face, and the girl examined him with interest as she walked toward him. But she had not taken four steps when she gave a little cry and ran, flew toward the stranger. "Auguste!--Monsieur--is it you?" That was all she could say; and Auguste, for he it was, received her in his arms. "Denise! dear Denise!" said Auguste, pressing to his heart the girl whom surprise and joy had almost deprived of consciousness. At last she recovered the power of speech. "Coco, it is your kind friend," she cried, "your benefactor has come back! Come and kiss him."