The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-01-16

chair? You have NOT been to tae cup
board? No." peeping into dark re-
cess. musty with papers. What
else?"
Nothing else, Agatha, here. ex-
cept," with quick smile, .'the waste
paper basket. and that is empty. You
can see for yourself"
'.Ah. said Agatha, '.here is cook" as
a heavy breathing became audible in
the passage. Cook" her voice trem-
bling 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,
them" said cook, in broken voice.
SIN my last place but one, where l was
general cleaner in Mrs. 'Ah's family,
there was child disappeared, as it
might 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 forgotten.
He remembers hearing her"
(which he might" said cook, mot
being deaf. Which don't mean no
disrespect, sir, but she was roaring aw-
full, and I says to Mary, says l.:
'Master'll never know 'ow to quiet that
child, so I'll run up and bring her down
a Bit and l stops to change my apron,
and l ups, as it might be here, and the
cradle, as it might be there, and no
sound. and the cradle as empty as it is
this minute"
Cook turned dramatically and pointed
one stout arm to the little cradle in the
sunlight Mrs. Nicholson's fearful eyes
followed the hand, and her husband
stood uneasily in the center of the
group, with an anxious frown upon his
face.
(Which" added cook, scornfully. Il
think a baby-aud such one, bless
her!-is of more vally than all this rub
bish.'' She waved her hand over the
table, on which lay the neat manuscript
and the rows of mended pens, and Mr..
Nicholson moved instinctively step
backward, as if she had an evil eye and
his writings would shriyel up at her
scornful gesture.
Cook" said Mrs Nicholson, with
dignity, marred little by the culver
in her voice, "you don't understand.
Your master is very clever, and his
writings are of great value. Of course.
.'with pleading look upward. baby
is our first thought just now. There are
no wild beasts here, so she can not be
eaten. But she has gone, and before
Emmy comes this evening she must be
found"
"Of course she must" said her hus-
band. plucking up courage from her
exceeding gentlenesS. I'VE will be-
gin Systematically, and 90 through
every room in the house"
So the search began that ended an
hour later, in the great hall. with three
perpleXed faces meeting each other at
the foot of the stairs, in a silence that
Mrs. Nicholson broke.
Its no use, John; lean not bear it
any longer. She is lost"
She flung out her empty hands with a
gesture, but her husband
caught and held them.
Don't give up, Agatha; it will all
come right. If | search the world
through. will find her,
"Or the body" said cook.
Mrs. Nicholson shuddered.
The minutes silence was broken by
a sound of merry laughter and the
OBJECT. For minute Agatha
raised her head, listened intently, and
then she dropped it with sigh.
1T is only the rcctory boys, john"
she said; they have been in the hay
field all day, and l asked them to tea.
l can't speak to them, l am so anx-
ious."
She would have moved away, but the
noise and laughter were in the hall al
ready, and the boys were stumbling up
toward her in the darkness, over the
rugs and skins. Something white was
being showed from one to the other, and
was pushed into Agatha's arms ut last,
and held there by pair of rough, sum
burned hands.
What is it? Oh, Jack, what is it?"
she cried, bending down and kissing,
to their owners great surprise, the
boys rough hands.
Don't, l say" said Jack, drawing
them away with curious, shamofaced
look. Its only the baby, Mrs. Mich
olson. She was crying in the cradle,
so l just got into the room and barged
her. She's been playing in the FAY;
she nearly got jabbed with a rake, out
jim got it instead. She's a jolly little
thing. Did you miss her?"
Yes, l thought she was lost" said
Agatha, gently.
LOST with a roar of laughter
well. that is good! May we WASH oar
hands for tea? I'm not so dirty, be.,n
holding her: but Jim's simply mud ,,ll
over. Here. have you got her? tia so
dark can't see."
The turbulent tide swept away into
the dim distance of stairs and passages,
leaving little group in the twilight of
the hall: tall. dark figure, against
which golden head was leaning, and
TWO arms with white bundle folded in
Them.
kiss her. john" came a soft vrce
rom out of the darkness. II know you
would rather not; she's only baby. Z OF
a star; but just as q punishment, lee
cause you were SO stupid"
The tall figure stopped and laifi q
lark mustache against the little buni e.
"She's very SOFT" said another von,e;
II don't think i ever knew so mrch
about baby before"
There was, after moments silence,
\ movement on the mans part as
though he were drawing himself up to
MS full height, with view to reasstft-
ng his dignity. He cleared his thr,at
latter all. Agatha" he said, Silly,