He had managed to place himself in such a position that when she did stop crying she could only see him; and after a time the smell of the delicious stew, and something about the comfort of her present position close to the fire, caused her to open her eyes, and then she opened her mouth, and in was popped the piece of tender rabbit. She ate it, and then Von Marlo fed her by popping piece after piece into her mouth; and he gave her ginger-beer to drink; and when the supper was quite ended and the platter clean, he stepped back and said, "You must forgive the Grants; it was rather mischievous of them. But it was not Miss Rachel; it was Alex and Charley, and in especial it was Von Marlo's fault. Now you will forgive Von Marlo?" He dropped on one knee, and put on the most comical face I had ever seen; then he looked up at her, wiping one of his eyes, and winking and blinking with the other. Hannah absolutely laughed. "Oh, you children, you children!" she exclaimed. It was a most wonderful victory. We knew now she would not scold, and it had a marvellous effect upon us. I rushed to her and flung my arms round her neck and kissed and hugged her. Alex said, "Good old Hannah!" and Charley crouched down by her side and said, "Rub my hair the wrong way; you know how I like it, Hannah." Then Von Marlo said, "I'm not going to be out of it," and he planted himself with his broad back firmly against her knees; and thus we all sat, with Hannah in the centre, making a sort of queen in the midst. She had ceased to weep, and was smiling. "Dear, dear!" she said; "but I never was too hard on real mischievousness; it's naughtiness as angers me. Oh, my sakes! Charley, my lamb, I remember you when you were nothing more than a baby." "But I was your pet, Hannah," I said. "Tell me that I was your pet." "But you were nothing of the sort," said Hannah. "I will own that I was always took with looks. Now, Alex has looks." "And I. I have looks too," said Charley. "I was gazing at my face in the glass this morning, and I saw that I had beautiful, dark, greyey-blue eyes." "It's very wrong to encourage vanity," said Hannah. "Well, Dumps will always be spared that temptation. But sakes! I must take away the things. What a mess you have made of the place! And whoever in the name of fortune fried up that rabbit? It was the most appetising morsel I ever ate in the whole course of my life." "I shall have much pleasure in writing out the recipe and giving it to you," said Von Marlo, dropping again on one knee, and now placing his hand across his heart. "Fairest of women, beloved Hannah, queen of my heart, I shall write out that recipe and give it to you." "Oh my!" said Hannah, "you are worse than the Dutch dolls; but you do make me laugh like anything." PART ONE, CHAPTER ELEVEN. MOTHER'S MINIATURE. The supper was at an end. I was in my room.