“Oh, come,” said the Doctor, “I do understand that. Your mother’s quite right: I sha’n’t eat you.”
The woman smiled again as she hugged her child closer and kissed it lovingly, while the Doctor nodded to Minnie.
“Quite comic, isn’t it, my dear? What foolish things mothers are, aren’t they? Just as fond of their bairns as Englishwomen, eh?”
“Why, of course, uncle. Such a pretty little thing, too! Look at its eyes!” and, to the mother’s great delight, the girl crossed to her, took the child in her arms, and kissed it, while the little thing smiled, raised one hand, and softly stroked the girl’s white face.
“There, Archie,” she cried; “it is pretty, isn’t it?”
“A beauty!” said the young man, laughing.
“Come and kiss it, sir,” said the girl imperiously.
“All right;” and without more ado the lad took hold of the child, held it up, and kissed it twice.
“Oh, take care!” cried Minnie. “How clumsy you are!”
“Well, it doesn’t seem to think so,” cried the lad, as he handed the little one back to its mother, who said a few words in her own tongue to the Doctor, and then turned to the two ladies, and after bowing to them with native grace, bent low to Archie, gave him a grateful look, and walked slowly away.