"Come now, don't cry, it's all right," whispered the stern old man, as softened by her grief, he kindly drew her to him. "Foolish child, were you really so fond of him? There, there, rest easy, we will deal gently with him. Eh? if you go on like this, I shall want to throttle the fellow outright. Silly child, can't you forget him? Ah, Ráby, you may thank your stars you've got such an advocate, otherwise the Emperor himself hadn't been able to help you." His visitor uttered a little smothered cry of joy: "My dear, good, kind godfather!" she murmured, as she covered the horny hand with grateful kisses. "Why, how pleased she is! Silly child that you are!" He rang the bell, and a secretary appeared. "Sit down and write thus: "'TO THE LIEUTENANT OF THE PRISON. "'By this present, I instruct your worship that you cause the noble prisoner, Mathias Ráby, to be released from the cell where he at present is confined, freed from irons, and be forthwith put in a place of honourable custody befitting his rank, till his trial takes place.' "You will take the letter immediately to Pesth, and you will remain there till you have seen with your own eyes that the prisoner is transferred to proper custody, and further, will say, that I, myself, shall follow in half an hour's time to see whether my orders have been executed." The secretary hastened away to fulfil his commission. Mariska was beside herself with joy. "So my foolish god-daughter is satisfied at last, is she? Go back to your pastry-making, for I want some cakes badly. Yet no more tears, please! But come back with me," he added, "and I'll take you home. When your father hears you've been to me to plead for Ráby, he'll be mighty angry. So you had better let me take you back and smooth it over for you at home. But I tell you, you must promise to put the fellow out of your thoughts! No, no, I'm not going to say anything against him; for pity's sake let's have no more weeping. Rest easy, no harm shall happen to him. He'll soon be set at liberty, and go back to Vienna, and then he'll cease to trouble us." The girl's only answer was a deep sigh. His Excellency led his god-daughter downstairs, and placed her in the coach which was waiting for them. And little Mariska returned home in state. Janosics, the castellan, met his Excellency at the gate of the Assembly House, and bareheaded, bowed low before him. "What about the prisoner, Ráby?" asked the governor shortly. "He is already conveyed to number three on the first floor, your Excellency," was the respectful answer. His Excellency nodded, took his companion by the hand, and led her indoors. Tárhalmy knew nothing, and was astonished beyond measure at seeing the governor with his daughter.