St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1885-01-31

more pledulnS.
cit is not Charles, indeed it is not; it
is the baby. Nurse has gone out, and l
have put her cradle in the morning room
by the window. John, ~ suddenly, .are
you listening? What did say last?"
ssThe morning room, Agatha"
"Well,'' with a sigh of relief, Il see
you are taking it in and forgetting those
horrible stars; and how you can COM
pare star to baby parenthetically,
sis past me- ,.,,,,
gently.
shall never get out. What was | say,
ing? Oh, baby is in the morning room,
and if she cries-makes one sound
YOU are to ring your bell-this bell.
John for cook; do you understand
eyes. I believe so. [ am to ring a
bell-this bell-for cook"
'.Oh, 1 hope you will, y after pause.
''Fancy," her eyes filling with tears
again, 'if she cried, and no one heard
her! Oh John, you will not deceive
me? You will try-and-ringP
t'My dear" speaking with some dig
nifty, 'ssurely am not utterly destitute
of common humanity or common
sense. I have interesting work
here" pointing to the manuscript and
the books of reference heaped around
him; ''but I suppose, after all, l am
human"
20, I hope so, think So" cried
Agatha, clasping her hands; ''only you
might not hear her, that was all !
meant. =
ssThen think" he said, with a gem
tie sarcastic smile, ''that you may dis
miss your fears; they are quite ground
less"
| very well,a said Agatha, moving in
a hesitating way to the door. - am
satisfied, I am trying to be satisfied;
don't forget. =
..No,' . cheerfully, II win take leaf
from Charles book, the best Of hus-
bands. =
4 "Oh"-the gray glove had closed on
the handle of the door, but released 1t
again the Paynters are coming to-
night, SO you must not go out star gaz-
ing" ),
Goodbye. y The bright face, that
had almost disappeared round the door,
came back again, and leaned against
the worn yelVeteen of the astronomers
coat; for minute the lips were pressed
to it, then lifted. kiss me John; you
are a dear old fellow after all, and am
fiend. =
The sunshine seemed to leave the
room. with the sweet bright presence
and hover oA.er the pretty cradle, among
the sounds and scents of the midsum-
mer 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 manu-
scripts, and the open books, and left the
handsome, clever, refined face in
shadow.
CHAPTER II
It might have been two hours after
i Ward-painful after events created a
confusion in Mr.. Nicholson's mind, and
the two hours might have been two
days-when he became aware OF q
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 was a
4 relief to raise them for a minute to the
locked door, behind which he heard the
laugh He rose, with half smile on
his grave face, and paused, struck by a
sudden presentiment Something came
back to him, as he stood in the dull
light of the dull room: was it dream
or a memory, or was 1.-THE baby? He
pushed his papers hurriedly 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 on the
old prints, and Mrs. Nicholson standing
in her pretty gray dress, with her slim
hands stretched out and the laugh that
had disturbed him still upon her lips.
i, In the room beyond there was more
sunlight and the cradle.
john cried Mrs. Nicholson, laugh
ing again as if she could not help it,
what have you done with herp Give
her to me. You are earning your title
to the best of husbandsT'
4 He looked up in quick perplexity.
what is it, Agatha? What do you
want? / have nothing to. give you. =
.'Oh don't, joint she cried, i'm
patiently; don't tease! I want baby. =
''WelI''--the same perplexed look
creeping over his face, and softening its
sternness-s 'take her, stretching out
his hand to the cradle in the sunlight
q Agatha's eyes were turned on him for
minute with a look of contempt be-
fore which he positively quailed. Then
she swept over to the cradle and tossed
out the little pillow, and the sheets with
their lace edges, and the pale-blue satin
coverlet on the floor in soft heap, and
stood looking down upon the empty