CHAPTER XVIII. THE GREEN HAT.
There was a strange sort of feeling in the breast of little Margot as she bade Uncle Fergus good-bye. When he took her in his arms he said,
"It's all settled, pushkeen, and you are to do as I wish."
Then Uncle Jacko, with his gentle, angel sort of face, kissed the child very tenderly and said,
"You'll do your duty at any cost, my little colleen."
After that the two men went away and Margot was left with grandpère and la belle grand'mère. She felt a little bewildered. She could not help repeating over and over to herself, "I am sorry to come back. I would rather be with The Desmond than anyone else in the wide, wide world," but she was learning self-control and was growing a tiny bit older than her years. She had, however, in her grave, steadfast sort of fashion quite made up her mind.
Grandpère should know nothing about la belle grand'mère being helped. She, Margot, would help her. She kept these thoughts, however, quite to herself and la belle grand'mère talked rapidly of the handsome appearance of the Irish Desmond and how most truly he fascinated the heart.
Little Margot took no notice of this. She was absorbed in comforting grandpère. He certainly looked very old indeed in comparison with The Desmond. His black eyes had sunk further into his head, but he was rejoiced beyond words to have the child of his only son with him, and he kept patting her hand and saying,
"Très bien, la petite, thou blessed one, thou angel, thou little cabbage."