aused, laughed, then blew a blast from his horn.

Instantly everyone stood still as if they were living pictures.

"Hi! Ho! Come here, good folk!" he cried.

The women came at once, wiping their hot faces with the corner of their
aprons, puffing and blowing like so many fat seals. Babette stood at a
safe distance, but near enough to hear all that went on.

"Please sir," said one of the women with a curtsy, "as your Lordship
knows, the child's granny is dead and buried. Four days has the child
lived here all alone, never a bite or sup has she had; she will die of
starvation. (Here Babette laughed.) She hides in the bushes like the
wild cat that she is!"

"Babette, little Babette, come here, child," he called, interrupting the
old woman's narrative.

She came at once in obedience to his gentle command. She gave him one
glance out of her deep brown eyes, lifting up her long black lashes, and
his heart was captured at once. He was very fond of children, but he had
none of his own. Here was a beautiful child that seemed ready made for
him. Not one of the women before him really wished to keep her; for they
feared her, and the supposed power of her dead grandmother.

Meanwhile the child stood by the Count, and began to stroke his fine
embroidered sleeve; finally she slipped her little hand into his. This
settled the matter.

"Well, well, we must see what is to be done for the child. Meanwhile I
shall take her up with me to the Castle. She seems to have made you all
rather hot," he remarked mischievously to the reddest and stoutest of
the women.

"A devil's brat, I call her!" she muttered in return, between her teeth.

"Hush," said my Lord indignantly, "she looks more like a little angel,"
and, indeed, at his kind words her small face had become very sweet.

As he mounted his horse again and lifted Babette to place her before
him, she began to cry bitterly.

"Why, little one, what ails you?" he said. "Are you frightened?"

"No-o-o-o-o-o," said Babette, "but I don't want to go away from my
_beau-ti_-ful home!"

"You shall have a far more beautiful home, and everything that you can
want, shall be yours," he said. "Why, you would have starved there
alone, you poor little thing!"

"Oh no!" said Babette, "for Lucky--she is my pet hen you know--always
laid the biggest eggs for me; then I make a little hole and suck them
so. (She tossed back her curly head.) Then I am never hungry or thirsty.
O, who will feed Lucky,