The state journal., 1885-01-24
CHAPTER II.

CHAPTER II.
1t might have been two hours after
ward-painful after events created con
fusion in Mr.. Nicholson's mind, ard 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 was q relief to raise h EN-
for minute to the locked door, behl nd
which he heard the laugh. He rose,
with half smile on his grave ftce, and
paused, struck by sudden presentiment.
Something came back 10 him, as he stood
in the dull room, was it a 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 moth
ing in the passage but the yellow sun
light now upon the walls and on the old
prints, and Mrs, Nicholson standing in
her pretty gray Gress, with her slim
bands 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, laugh
ing again as If she could not help it,
"what hav, you done with her / Give
her to me. You are earning your title to
the best of husbands !"
He looked up in quick perplexity.
"What is it, Agatha? What do you
want? have nothing to give you"
ooh don't, John y she cried, impa-
4: 81 I H,IN
"Welp same perplexing look
creeping over his face, and softening its
sternness-'take her." stretching out his
hand to the cradle in the sunlight.
Agatha's eyes were turned on him for
a minute with look of contempt before
which he positively quailcd. 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 cover
let on to the floor in soft heap, and
stood looking down upon the empty era,
die as if she would conjure up she pink
face and the faxen head into their &C
customed place.
Mr. Nicholson had followed her on tip.
toe and was stirring the softly shining
heap on the floor with his patent leather
shoes, as if he half imagined that she had
tossed the baby out among them.
"Well?' said Agatha sharply.
"Well2" he echoed feebly.
"Do you mean to say" she said, put,
ting aside her angry vehemenCe and
turned up to his-"Oh, John, do you
mean to say that you have lost herr'
Il never touched her, " he cried hastily,
Il never" heard her, he would have
added, but again that faint memory
that dream-stirred him. Upon my
honor, Agatha, he said abruptly, lean,
ing down into the cradle, and poking at
the mattress with his thin fingers, upon
my honor I can't remember"
"You can't remember II said Agatha,
with slow scorn. why John, she
roared Cook heard her in the kitchen.
She came rushing up, and found the cra-
die empty and baby gone She thought
you had taken her into the study; she
told me SO; but oh, John, it was some
body else, and they have stolen her"
My DEAR" he said, shaking himself
together, and speaking more lightly,
"who would steal her?-a baby roaring,
as you say!' He shudderVd. "Why,
surely no one in his senses would do such
thing y
"Emmy's bsbyl" cried Agatha tear
fully, ''and that is how you speak of her
o John, dear John, think again; didn't
you hear her? Perhaps you have for.
gotten-perhaps you have put her some,
where, and she has gone to sleep. Sit
down, John, and think-perhaps you
have put her somewhere and forgotten. "
NJ A1v ~ Il
sill and covered his face with his hands.
He tried to think, but whenever he con-
Centrated his mind on the baby he was
dimly conscious of that fading fancy that
he could not grasp-thAt dream of a cry
1t had disturbed him, ne remembered.
thai loud. painful, jarring 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, Il do remember
something-somebody crying; it must
have been the babe"
"Yes," said Agatha eagerly, 'go on !
You heard herl That is right Cook says
YOU must have heard her, she roared so.
Well, and then2 YOU"
"I-I can n'tremember, Agatha. may
have gone on writing; that seems The
most likely, / think; but 1 may have
gone to :he 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
in the library. What have you been
doing this afternoon
Mr.. Nicholson followed humbly rs she
swept in before him, and fang open the
great curtains, so that the light rushed in
on to his table strewed with plans and
manuscript. Even then he spread out
his hand s, almost uncOnsciOusly, TO de-
fend his precious papers from her scorn-
ful 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
chair You have not been to the cup
board1 No, peeping into dark recess,
muaty with papers. "What else p
Nothing else Agatha, here, except"
with a 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 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.