Part 4 (2/2)

said Papa Pomme. ”You had better warn Emile to watch.”

”A thief, Papa?” asked Philippe, whose eyes were very big.

”Yes, my boy,” Papa Pomme replied. ”A man who goes about at night stealing vegetables from people's farms--a vegetable thief. I wish they could catch him. It is very hard for the poor farmers to have their produce stolen. This thief is a wicked man.”

Philippe suddenly thought of his dark neighbor in the market place.

Could it be----? Oh, no.

Still there were those stale vegetables. But Philippe refused to think of such a thing.

”Papa,” he asked, ”if this thief is caught, what will they do with him?”

”They will put him in prison, my son,” answered Papa Pomme.

Chapter IV

ZELIE

Philippe did not know how nearly right he had been. He had wondered whether his neighbor in the market place could be the thief.

But Philippe did not like to think evil of people, so he drove away that thought. But the tall dark man was really the vegetable thief.

Next day when Philippe arrived at the Grande Place, he looked for his neighbor. Yes, there was the man with another load of stale vegetables.

He was piling them upon his counter.

Today Philippe noticed that there was a little girl with him. She was helping him spread out the wilted vegetables. Philippe did not know that during the night this evil man had stolen those vegetables from a poor farmer.

He had stolen them and now he had brought them to the market place to sell. They were not fresh like Philippe's vegetables, because the thief did not know how to take care of them.

The little girl with Philippe's neighbor glanced shyly at the boy. She was dark like the man. But her face was not like his. It was sweet and pretty.

Suddenly Philippe was surprised to hear the man call out cheerily: ”Good morning to you, friend, and to the little golden-haired singing bird.”

The man had changed from the day before. Philippe now rather liked his weather-beaten face. It was all wrinkled with smiles.

”Good morning to you, sir,” answered Philippe.

”This is Zelie, my little daughter,” said the fellow, still smiling.

”Zelie, go over and shake hands with the boy and with the little singing bird. You must get acquainted.”

Zelie obeyed. She seemed a shy but pleasant little girl. She was a year or so younger than Philippe. Her black hair hung straight from under a gypsy-like bandanna. She wore earrings in her ears. Her eyes were black, but they did not flash. They smiled at Philippe.

The two children talked. Philippe found Zelie bright and interesting.

She had traveled a great deal. She spoke of her travels about the country.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE TWO CHILDREN TALKED]

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