Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1885-03-26

mon sense. | have interesting work here, "
pointing to the manuscript and the books Of
reference heaped around him. "but sup
pose. after all, am human"
'Oh, hope So" cried Agatha. claspng
her hands "ony you might not hear her,
that was all meant"
Then | think" he said. with a gentle
sarcastic smile. "that you may dismiss your
fears; they are quite groundless."
Very WE'LL" said Agatha. moving in a
hesitating way to the door, al am satisfied,
am trying to be satisfied don't forget"
NO" cheerfully, II will take leaf from
Charlss's book, the best OF husbands"
oh the gray glove had closed on the
handle of the door. but released it again
''the Paynters are coming tonight, so you
must no, go out star gazing"
! "All right" ebedientIy good bye"
''Good-bye.' The bright face, that had
almost disappeared round the door, came
back again, and leaned against the worn
| Veiveieen OF the astronomers coat: for
minute the lips were pressed TO 1t, then lift
ed. Hiss me. John; YOU are \ dear old
| fellow, after oil, and am fiend'
| he sunshine seemed to leave the room
with the sweet bright presence and 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
I tidy manuscripts, and the open books, and
/ left the handsome. clever. refined face in the
! shadow
! /, might have been two hours afterward -
/ painful after events created a confusion in
! Mr.. Nlcholsons mind. and the two hours
/ might have been two days-when he became
aware of laugh in the passage BY the door
! Iii. hand had grown tired with writing, but
] the pen travelled steadily on; his eyes had
! grown little tired; and it was relief 10
/ raise them for a minute 10 the locked door.
! behind which he heard the laugh He rose.
with half smile on his grave face, and
/ paused, struck by sudden presentment.
| Something came back To him. as he stood in
! the duli light OF the room; was it dream
/ or a memory, or was 1.-THE baby He
/ pulled the papers hufrIedly away and walked
( over 10 The door aud unlocked ii, throwing
| It wade open. There was nothing in the
I passage but the yellow sunlight no. upon
the walls and on the old prints, and Mrs.
/ Nicholson standing IN her pretty gray dress,
with her slam hands stretched out and the
[ laugh that had disturbed him still upon her
/ lips.
/ In the room beyond there was more sun
! light and the cradle.
/ John cried Mrs. Nicholson, laughing
! again as if she could no, help it. what have
I you done with her ? Give her to me. You
/ are earning your title 10 the best Of hus-
( bands :"
( lie looked up in quick perplexi,y. What
/ IS 1t, Agatha What do YOU want have
( nothing 10 give YOU
"oh don't, John ,' she cried. inpatient,
Z don't tease wan, baby"
"Neit'-the same perDlexed look creep
! ing over his face. and softening It's stern
ness-"iake her" stretching out his hand to
the cradle in the sunlight.
Agatha ewes we're turned on him for
I minute with look Of contempt before
which he positively qaaIled. Then she
( swept over to the cradle, and tossed og, the
/ little pillow. and tie sheets with their lace
edges. aud the pale. blue satin coverlet on
/ TO the floor in a soft heap. and stood looking
I down upon the ,mpt, cradle as If she would
/ conjure up the pax fac. and the ianen head
/ into their accustomed place.
/ Mr.. Nicholson had followed her on tipioe
and was stirring the softly shining heap on
/ the floor with h. pa,en,-eaiher shoes as if
/ he half imagined tina, she had tossed the
, BABY out among them.
| We'll ," said Agatha sharply.
( We'll ," be echoed feehly.
"Do YOU mean 10 saw" she said, putting
aside her angry sehemenee and speaking
/ tearfuliy. with her gray EYES turned to his
'Oh. John, do YOU mean to say that you
| have lost her -
| Il never touched her," he cried hastily.
Il never heard her, he would have added.
bat again that faint memory-ihat dream
stirred him. Upon my honor, Agatha" h.
said abruptly. leaning down into the cradle.
and poking at the mattress with his thin tin-
gers. "upou my honor can't remember"
~ ca can't remember q said Agatha, with
SLOW scoru. "Why, John. she roared Cook
heard her IN the kitchen. She came running
up, and found the cradle empty and baby
gone. sac told me 50; ; but oh, John. II was
somebody else. aud they have stolen her
My dear. he said, shaking himself to-
eether and speaking more lightly, who
would steal her "a baby roaring, as you
say = He shuddered- why surely no one
IA h, senses would DO such a thing
"Emmys bah, cried Agatha. tearfuiv,
''and that is how you speak Of her o John.
dear John, think again didn't you hear her?
! Perhaps ,ou may have forgotten-perhaps
YOU have put her somewhere, and she has
gone 10 sleep. Sit down, John, and think -
| perhaps you have put her somewhere ami
| forgotten"
Mr.. Nicholson sat down on the window
sill and covered his face with his hands He
tried to think, but whenever he concentrated
! his mind on the baby, he was dimv con-
seious Of that fading fancy that he could not
( grasp-iha, dream Of cry. II had dis
/ tufbed him. he remembered. that loud, pain
/ ful, jarring cry. but it had died away; surely
+ II had died into peace without his interfer-
ence. agatha" he said, lifting up his face,
sharpened with the effect of thought, IL do
/ remember something body 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
I Well, and then? YOU"
IL can't remember, Agatha. may
( have gone on writing that seems the most
likely, l think but may have gone to the
| door. No." shaking his head, Il can't get
beyond the cry. | do not remember tha,
now distinctly"
sdlh -hSdtud
her tears, "you have put her somewhere in
the library. What have you been doing or
using this afternoon ~
Mr. Nicholson followed humbly as she
swept in before him, and flung open the
great curtains so that the light rushed on to
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 centre of the room, looking into every
corner with her quick soft eyes.
"What have you used, John-ths chair !?
You have not been TO the cupboard? No."
peeping into dark recess, musty with pa
| pers. What else ?'
"Ncthing else, Agatha, here, except"
with quick smile, ''the waste-paper basket,
and that is empty. You can see for your
self"
.Ah." said Agatha, "here is cook" as q
heavy breathing became audible in the pas.
sage. Cook" her voice trembling 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,"