"How I shall love it!" went on the child ecstatically, stroking her treasure as she would have done a kitten.
But Jenny, as the monkey was named, did not approve. Opening wide her mouth, she made a hideous grimace, and snarled in a very unpleasant fashion.
Mrs. Snowden, who was secretly far from pleased at Rupert's choice of a present, looked on anxiously.
"Don't go too near her, darling," said she. "You must make friends with her first."
But Marcia did not seem to know how to tear herself away from her new possession.
Jenny, after receiving sundry pieces of sugar and biscuit from her little mistress's hands, suddenly took quite a fancy to her, a fact which pleased Marcia more than a little.
The clouds which had hovered over both the Cottage and the Hall had now rolled away, and all was peaceful and serene. Mrs. Russell, grieved to the heart at having doubted her grandchild's word, seemed as though she could not do enough for her. It was some time, however, before the old lady could bring herself to forgive Gertie for all the trouble she had caused, but, nevertheless, after a while, she accorded the little girl her gracious pardon, to the relief of everybody concerned.
Ella, on the night of Marcia's birthday party, at which, of course, she was present, was the gayest of the gay. Only one untoward incident occurred throughout the evening, and that was a terrible upset which took place in the kitchen.
Somehow or other the monkey got loose. Scrambling out of her little kennel, which was kept in the scullery for warmth, she managed, by tugging at her chain, to break one of the links. For a while Jenny did not realize her freedom, but when she did, great was her delight. She made her way into the kitchen by leaps and bounds, and finding Mary, the cook, busy arranging a pile of tarts, she forthwith decided to help herself.
At first Mary was too startled to do more than stare at the intruder, then, anger getting the better of her surprise, she gave the monkey a good sound smack. This, Jenny resented by showing her teeth and looking very cross. However, the sight of some bananas on a glass dish, soon soothed her ruffled feelings. She seized hold of one, taking off the skin with extraordinary rapidity, and before Mary could say her nay, the banana had disappeared.