Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-06-07


chld's natural protector. He at once
quilted his stalwart friends and ran
across the table to the fair girl, who
smiled and opened her arms The little
man darted into them, and with
chirrup of delight laid his head on the
girls shoulder and seemed perfectly
happy and at rest He was so pretty
that no woman could have refrained
from caress ng him. Miss Clauson
kissed him again and again, then, like
every one who came near him, fell to
stroking his golden locks and twining
them round her fingers The child's
eyes began to close under her soft and
soothing touches
'He must go to bed" said eatrice,
decisively.
Certainly" said Uncle Horace.
Where had he better sleep?'
Jane has most comfortable bed,
said Herbert.
$40 no." exclaimed Beatrice; The
shall sleep with me. Look at him, I'm
Gle Horace; ism t he perfect cherub?"
Hes very pretty little boy; but we
don't know where he comes from, my
dear. ! hardly think you ought to take
a strange infant to sleep with you"
"Oh, nonsense, Uncle Horace! See
what a clean, beautiful boy it is. Whit.
taker. send large can of hot water TO
my roo q. Come my pet; | will see
how can act the part of Il nurse maid,'
Singing and croning and carrying
the child in the most approved fashion,
Miss Clauson proceeded to bear her
prize away.
"You had better look at his linen,
Beatrice" said Horace. 1T may be
marked with his name"
In about half an hours time teatrice
reappeared with the intelligence that
the boys clothing bore no mark of any
kind. Indeed, it all seemed brand-new.
She was apparently much delighted
with her new toy. She kept running
up and down stairs to ascertain that
her proleqe was sleeping the sleep of
innocent babyhood. At last she went
away altogether.
''Beatrice is more dcmonstrative than
i believed her to be-" said Horace re
gretfully. Herbert echoed the regret,
but VI. Mordle sad nothing. He
thought the instructive kindness she
showed toward this mysteriously sent
child added another charm to the many
he had already discovered in Miss
C.auson.
The three men sat together until it
was too late to hope that matters
would be cleared up that night. No
mother, no telegram came. he curate
babe his friends goodnight and walked
b&ck to h 5 lodgin IA the village,
thinking what charming picture Miss
tlauSon With the child in her arms
| Donr M Mnrllof Ja boJ opl,y
known Beatrice week, and was
already beg ming to dream abolish
dream.
The brothers continued sitting one
on either side of the fire. They were
not early-to bed people. Now that they
were alone they said little
more about the arrival. For three
hours they had been discussing every
possible theory which might account
for the child's appearance among them.
so The subject was threadbare, and
they sat in silence trying to invent
fresh causes. Suddenly most cur Gus
and startling suspic on entered Horace
Talbert's mind-a suspicion which now
and then made him glance at his
brother. Cou Herbert by anv chance
know all about the matter? He had
certainly seemed greatly taken with
the little boy. Horace remembered
how much at home the child had made
himself with Herbert. Hoo when he
Horace, came out of the drawing-roOm
w tn catrice, he had found Herbert
pattng and stroking the little head.
Could there be romantic passages in
Herbert's life about which he knew
nothingP He pooh-poohed the thought;
but it came again and again.
Just after one O'clock, and when the
brothers were thinking of retiring, to
their great surprise eatrice reappear-
ed. She was in dainty dressing gown
and slippers. After waiting until Mr..
Mordle must certainly have gone she
had come doAn-of curse to hear il
any more news had arrived. Uncle
Horace, with his eyes fixed on Herbert,
expressed his conviction that no news
was meant to arrive.
Then what will you dop" she asked,
at last.
"' will wait until tomorrow, or
the day after; then put the matter into
the hands of the police" said Horace,
decisively.
Herbert SAID nothing, so his brothers
suspicious increased Peatrice rose, as
if to say good night. She stood for a
while on the rug, apparently intently
lntere ted in a series of tiny circles
which she was describing with the
point of one slipper. PRESENTLY she
looked up with flushed cheek and
spoke in quick hurried way:
'If nobody comes for the boy, would
you mind my keeping himP'
"My dearH' cried Uncle Horace,
aghast. Here?
She clasped her hands. "Oh, Uncle
Horace she said al have had such a
dreary miserable life ever since was
seventeen. / have nothing to do
nothing TO live for. / could be so happy
with that dear child to look after. Come
up and see him sleeping. He is the
sweetest baby"
"Such nonsense, Beatricep Uncle
Horace settled himself into his chair
and showed by the acton that a legion
of sleeping babies would not induce
him TO go and look at their slumberng
forms.