"Ah, but I'm sorry," said little Margot. "I suppose it is all right. I can't stay very long, grand-dad, darling, because I have faithful and true to get back to Uncle Jack, for Uncle Jack is both my uncle and my playfellow, but while I am here I would like most of the time to be with you and Madam, 'cause I don't like old-young girls." "Come, let that be," said Madam. "The girls are only amusing themselves, to be sure they are." Margot was quite silent for a minute. Jacko was a big man, but he was not nearly so big as The Desmond, and she felt exceedingly comfortable nestling up in his arms, while his snow-white beard gently touched her little brown face. "There's a trunk of mine," she said. "It is under a laurel bush by the gate. Could one of the servants go and fetch it down, grandfather?" "Servants, bedad," exclaimed Malachi, who just then entered the room. "Oh, yes, I'll see about the servants. I'll put everything as right as rain." He marched out of the room. "If it is a heavy trunk, missie," he said, turning round with his laughing eyes, "ye'll want about five men to hoist it on their shoulders." "Well, that's easily done in a big place like this," he continued. Margot gave a contented little sigh. Madam followed her son out of the room. She thought it well to lend a hand in the preparation of the wee colleen's supper. When they were quite alone together, Margot turned and kissed The Desmond several times. "You are my very own grand-dad," she said. "Yes, push-keen, I am that," said he. "I am so happy in your arms," continued Margot. "I'll tell you why. First, because you are so big; second, because you are so beautiful and old, and third because you belong to me." Again she kissed the brown cheek; and the brown eyes of the man looked into the brown eyes of the child. "It's my Kathleen before she grew up," he whispered to himself, "before she met that Frenchman, drat him." "Do you love me, grand-dad?" whispered Margot. "Yes, push-keen, I think a bit." "Will it be a good bit, soon, grand-dad?" "I'm thinking it might." Margot gave another sigh of intense and complete satisfaction. "I wanted to see the house and the place and the young girls and the young boys and Madam, but I wanted most of all to see you, grand-dad." "Ah, now, that's proper," said The Desmond. Just then there was a rustling outside the door, and Madam came in with a little tray, which contained milk and bread and butter and home-made jam and new-laid eggs. Margot would not for a moment resign her post on The Desmond's knee, but she allowed Madam to draw a little table forward and to feed her from there. She ate with considerable appetite and looked prettier than ever when her fatigue vanished. "And now I'm going to take you to bed, my baby," said Madam.