Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1885-01-17

/ his hand gently and chung TO him, al
most as if 1t were 10th to leave the thin
worn fingers; but he patted It gently and
\ laid 1t aside. Mrs. Nicholson gave q
/ faint sigh, but when she spoke again she
/ spoke with less decision and more plead
/ ing.
at is not Charles, indeed it is not; 1t is
the baby. Nurse has gone out, and
I have put her cradle in the morning room
I by the window. john suddenly, Aare
! you listening? What did say Iast?7
The morning room, Agatha
"Well," with a sigh of relief, 81 see
you are taking it in and forgetting those
! horrible stars; and now you can compare
a star to baby" pathetically, ''is pas
time"
I'm sure I never did, he said gently.
"Well, don't interrupt me, John, or
shall never get out. What was I saving?
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. 1 am to ring the
bell-this bell-for cook"
ooh, 1 hope you will, after a pause.
Fancy" her eyes filing with tears
again, 'if she cried, and no one heard
her! 0 John, you viii not deceive me?
You will try-and-ring."
My dear, speaking with some dignity,
''surely am not utterly destitute Of COM
mon humanity or common sense.
have interesting work here" pointing to
the manuscript and the books Of
reference headed around him; "but 1
suppose, after all, I am human.
"Oh, hope 50; 1 think So" cried
Agatha, clasping her hands: "Only you
might not hear her; that was all I
meant"
''Then think, he said, with a gentle
sarcastic smile, chat you may dismiss
your fears; they are groundless."
Every we'll" said Agatha, moving in a
hesitating way to the door. 81 am salts
fed, 1 am trying to be satisfied; don't
forget"
NO" cheerfully, "I will take a leaf
from Charles book, the best Of hus-
bands"
"Oh"-the gray glove had closed on the
handle of the door, but released it again
-''the Paynters are coming tonight, so
you must not 60 out star-gaZing."
'All right" Obediently; goodbye"
Goodbye" The bright face that had
almost disappeared round the door came
back again and leaned against the worn
VelVeteen 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 1 am a fiend."
The 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 tidy manuscripts, and the
open books, and left the handsome,
clever, refined face in shadow.
CHAPTER II.
1t might have been two hours after
Ward-painful after events created a con-
fusion in Mr.. NichOlsOn'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 was a relief to raise
them for a minute to the locked door be-
hind which he heard the laugh. He
rose with a half smile on his grave face,
and paused, struck by q sudden PRESENT.
ment. Something came back to him as
he stood in the dull light of 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 nothing in the passage
hut the yellow sunlight now upon the
olson standing in her pretty grey dress,
with her slim hands Outstretched and
the laugh that had disturbed him still
upon hear lips.
In the room beyond there was more
sunlight and the cradle.
John" cried Mrs. Nicholson, laughing
again as if she could not help it, what
have you done with her? You are earn
ing your title to the best of husbands!"
He looked up in quick peplexity.
"What is it, Agatha? What do you
want? I have nothing to give you"
ooh, don't John, she cried, impatiently;
"dOn't tease; 1 want baby"
"WelP-the same perplexed 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 moment 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 face edges, and the pale-blue satin
coverlet on to the floor IN a soft heap,
and stood looking down upon the empty
cradle as if she would cOnjure the pink
face and haxen head into their accus-
toned place.
Mr.. Nicholson had followed her on
tiptoe, and was stirring the softly shin
inc 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.
''Well?" he echoed feebly.
''Do you mean to saw" she said, put
ting aside her angry vehemence and
speaking tearfulIy, with her gray eyes
turned up to his-"Oh, John, do you
mean to say that you have lost herr"
al never touched her" he cried hasti-
"; 81 never heard her, he would have
added, but again that faint memory
that dreamSstirred him. upon my
honor, Agatha" he said abruptly, lean
ing down into the cradle and pOking at
the mattress with his thin fingers, 'upon