The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-28

H pressed to it, then lifted, kiss me, John; you
4 are dear old fellow after all, and l am tiend.
The sunshine seemed to leave the room with
| the sweet bright presence aud hover over the
pretty cradle, among the sounds and scents OF
! the midsummer day In the library there was
| only one shaft of light that came through the
high windows and fell across the old velveteen
| coat, and the tidy manuscripts, and the open
books, and left the handsome clever refined
| face in shadow.
CHAPTER II.
1t might have been two hours afterward-pain-
| full after events created confusion in Mr.. Mich
| oson's mind, and the two hours might have been
two days-when he became aware of laugh IN
| the passage by the door. His hand had grown
/ tired with writing but the pen travelled
! steadily on; his eyes had grown little tired;
and it a relief to raise them for a minute to
! the locked door, behind which he heard the
! laugh. He rose, with a half smile on his grave
4 face, and paused struck by sudden PRESENT.
ment. Something came back to him, as he
stood in the dull light of the dull ROOM was it a
dream or memory, or was 1.-THE babyf lie
! pushed his paper hurrledly away, and walked
over to the door and unlocked it, throwing it
wide open. There was nothing in the passage
| but the yellow sunlight now upon the walls and
1 on the old prints, and Mrs. Nicolson standing in
! her pretty gray dress, with her slim hands
stretched out and the laugh that had disturbed
him still upon her lips.
In the room beyond there was more sunlight
and the cradle.
John, cried Mrs Nicholson, laughing again
with herr Give her to me. You are earning
| your title to the best of husbandsw
He looked UP in quick perplexity. What is
| it, Agatha! What do you wanSs have nothing
| to give you"
'Oh don't, joint" she cried, impatently;7
don't tease l want baby"
''Well7-the same perplexed look creeping
over his face, ana softening its sternness-
take her, stretching out his hand to the cradle
4 in the sunlight.
| Agathas eyes were turned on him for min
ute with look of contempt before which he
positively quailed. Then she swept over to the
cradle, ami tossed out the little pillow, and the
sheets with their lace edges, and the paie-b
satin coyerlets to the floor in soft heap, and
stood looking down upon the empty cradle as if
she would conjure up the pink face and the
fiaXen head into their accustomed place.
Mr.. Nicholson had followed her on tip-toe and
was stirring the softly shining heap the floor
with his patent leather shoes, as if he half i'm
agined that she had tossed the baby out among
| them.
"Wenr' said Agatha sharply
| 'Wellp he echoed feebly
do you mean to say" she said, putting aside
her angry vehemence and speaking tearfully
with her gray eyes turned up to his-''Oh, John,
| do mean say that you have lost herr"
II never touched her" he cried hastily 81
never heard her, he would have added, but
again that faint memory-that dream-stirred
him. Upon my honor, Agatha he said alb
ruptly, leaning down into the cradle, and poking
at the mattress with his thin fingers upon my
honor can't remember
You don't remember" said Agatha, with
slow scorn "Why, John, she roared! Cook
heard her in the kitchen. She came rushing up,
and found the cradle empty and baby gone.
She thought you had taken her into the study;
she told me So but oh, John, it was somebody
else. and they have stolen her.
'My dear" he said, shaking himself together
and speaking more lightly, who would steal
herl-a baby roaring, as you say" He shuddered.
Why, surely no one in his senses would do
such a thingn
'.Emmy's baby!' cried Agatha, tearfully, ''and
that is how you speak of heE o John, dear
John, think again; didn't you hear her2 Per
haps you have forgotten-perhaps you have put
her somewhere and she has gone to sleep. Sit
down, John. and thipk-perhaps you have put
her somewhere and forgotten
htr. Nicholson sat down on the window-sill
and covered his fS5SS with his hands He tried to
think, but whenever he concentrated his mind
on the baby he was dimly conscious OF that
dream of a cry. 1t had disturbed him, he re-
membered, that loud, painful, Earring cry, but
it had died away; surely it had died into peace
without his interference Agatha" he said,
lifting up his face, sharpened with the effect OF
thought II do remember something somebody
crying; it must have been the babe"
Yes said Agatha eagerly, Ego on! You
heard her That is right. Cook says you must
have heard her, she roared So Well, and thenf
You"
IL can't remember Agatha l may have
gone on writing, that seems the most likely,
think; but may have gone to the door. No
shaking his head, Il can't get beyond the cry. l
do remember that now distinctly"
Perhaps" said Agatha hopefully. through
her tears, you have put her somewhere In the
library, What have You been doing or using
this afternoonP
Mr. Nicholson followed humbly as she swept
in before him, and flung open the great curtains,
so that the light rushed in onto his table
strewed with plans and manuscript Even then
he spread out his hands, almost unconsciously,
to defend his precious papers from her light
scornful touch; but she stood in the center of
the room looking into every corner with her
quick, soft eyes.
''What have you used John--this chairl
| You have not been to the cupboaInf No. peep
| ing into a dark recess, musty with papers.
/ what ese2
| Nothing else, Agatha, here, except" with a
| quick smile 1.-THE waste paper basket, and that
is empty. You can see for yourself"
| "Ah," said Agatha, there is cook" as a heavy
breathing became audible in the passage.
| Cook" her voice trembling at at sight of the
sympathetic face your master has not seen
the baby-at least, he thinks not He was very
busy but he heard her cry, and he may have
taken her up and forgotten. We are looking
for her.
(which you won't never find her, then" said
cook, in broken voice I'm my last place but
one where l was general cleaner in Mrs ALPS
family, there was child disappeared, as it
M light be this, and it was never found-gypsies
or not it was never come across again"
''Oh don't cook!' cried Agatha plaintively.
| "And Emmy coming this evening! Your master
thinks he may have put her somewhere and for
gotten. He remembers hearing her"
(which he might" said cook, mot being deaf
Which | don't mean no disrespect sir, but she
was roaring awful, and says to Mary, says l.
NIaster1l never know 'ow TO quiet that child, so
Il run up and bring her down Bit and stops
to change my apron, and ups, rs it might be
| here, and the cradle, it might be there, and
no sound, and the cradle as empty as his this
/ minute"
Cook turned dramatically. and pointed one
stout arm TO the little cradle in the sunlight
Mrs. Nieholson's fearful eyes followed the hand
/ and her husband stood uneasiy in the center Of
| the group with an anxious frown upon his face
] LANhich y ndded cnnk scnrnfulla. ~ think 4.