"The old-fashioned little piece!" exclaimed the nurse, admiringly.
And Mrs. Lake added, "Let un see the little lady, maester."

The miller held out the baby, and the nurse, removing a dainty
handkerchief edged with Valenciennes lace from its face, introduced
it as "Miss Amabel Adeline Ammaby;" and Mrs. Lake murmured, "What a
lovely little thing!" By which, for truth's sake, it is to be hoped
she meant the lace-edged handkerchief.

In the exchange of civilities between the two women, the respective
children in their charge were admonished to kiss each other,--a feat
which was accomplished by Jan's kissing the baby very tenderly, and
with all his usual gravity.

As this partly awoke the baby from a doze, its red face began to
crease, and pucker, and twist into various contortions, at which Jan
gazed with a sort of solemn curiosity in his black eyes.

"Stroke the little lady's cheeks, love," said Mrs. Lake,
irrepressibly proud of the winning ways and quaint grace which
certainly did distinguish her foster-child.

Jan leaned forward once more, and passed his little hand softly down
the baby's face twice or thrice, as he was wont to stroke the sandy
kitten, as it slept with him, saying, "Poor itta pussy!"

"It's not a puss-cat, bless his little heart!" said the matter-of-
fact nurse. "It's little Miss Amabel Adeline Ammaby."

"Say it, love!" said Mrs. Lake, adding, to the nurse, "he can say