The Penn's Grove record., 1889-07-27
ELAINE VALLEAU.

liant lie anybody in the w0rlds-
anybody at ALTO look after hlmp'
Elaine Valleau asked the question az
she looked tenderly down into a svFee4
baby-face that nestled against her soft
fur cloak in a most contiding manner.
Nobody, as far as we know the
matron of the hospital replied. He was
born here, and his mother died, soon
after. She came here just the night
before he was born, and we never could
find out anything about her. Nobody
came to inquire, and the baby has been
left on our hands ever since.'
'Poor little fellowr Elaine murmured,
softly; and she laid her cheek against
the baby's little face. He is such a
pretty boy, Mrs. Johnsl If you don't
think there would be any trouble about
1t, 1 think l will keep him.
No trouble at all, Miss Valleau,'
raid the matron, eagerly. 1T is very
good Of YOU, and | am sure Tito is II
lucky boy to have found so good a
friend
The baby opened his round, dark eyes
and smiled what fond mothers call an
angel-smile. One little hand was thrust
out with curious uncertainty, and the
tiny fingers buried themselves in the
fur Of Elaine's cloak. i
A soft baby chuckle and a kicking of
the small feet accompanied this act, and
Elaine felt that curious thrill which
| every true woman feels when a friend
less child is laid in her arms.
you are going to be my baby, Tito,
she said, kissing the little one.
And so the bargain was concluded.
Society opened its eyes when it heard
LOT Miss Valleau's astonishing freak.
.Awfully queer, isn't it?' said Mrs.
Gossip to Miss Chat. But rich people
always get cranky, they say. OF course,
you know Elaine is tired of everything.
She has been everywhere and had
everything, so that there IS nothing
left to amuse her. l suppose this baby
bis merely an occupation, and she will
tire of 1t soon enough, | fancy
Il wonder why she doesn't marry?'
Miss Chat said, curiously. She must
have had plenty Of chances
oh, haven't you heard? She was
engaged to be married a long while ago,
but the engagement vas broken of,
and her lover married somebody else
out Of spite, they say. l did hear, too,
that he was very much in love will
her, and that when the engagement
was broken lie went to the bad. The1
isay that one time, when he had beef
a good deal of champagne,
some Spanish woman got hold OF him
and inveigled him into marrying her
ANYHOW, he was married, and they say
I,Elaine Valleau loves him STILL
L SO the tongue of gossip wagged; but
EIaine knew, and cared very little.
She had Tito, and he was as sweet /;
baby as eve gladdened a mother
heart. |'
| HI" grew more winning every day
He was a handsome little fellow, ant
he and ELAINE together made a picture
at which many people stood in admira
ton.
When Tito had learned to walk ant
talk, Elaine took him everywhere will
her.
One day they were on the pier to
Rether at Nantucket and some n say
them, Elaine did not know that the
dark eyes Of Lloyd Caruthers we're fxef
tupon her as she sat there under tn
Shade of her lace parasol, watching
Tito with his bucketful OF sand.
Bring it to mamma, DEAR she sait
for, in spite of everybody, she hat
the child call her SO. Let mamma SCI
what Tito has in his bucket
Lloyd Caruthers looked at the beau
tiful child with a savage feeling In hi
heart.
sThat is her childH he said to himself
sWhat a fool l am! l might hav'
known she would forget me, and yet
OF, Elainel My lost darlingl l woult
give my life just this moment to knee
ut your feet and have you smile on mi
as you once did,
lie caught his breath and turned
away quickly, for Elaine had the chile
in her arms, and, quite unconscious Of
her observer, was kissing him In a rap
turous manner
Caruthers would have gone away a
once, for he dreaded while be longed Il
meet her. But for a moment he wa
quite lost to his surroundings.
His mind travelled back to the tim
when he had been the accepted lover o.
this girl, who was and always had beer
10 him the one woman in the world.
He thought. with vain and bitter re
gret, of the trifing quarrel that had sepa
rated them. How wretched he had beef
sincel His miserable marriage witt
Ipez Faliero must have sunk him yer.
low in Elaine's esteem; and now
A splash and a wild scream brough
him to his senses.
(, The scream came from Elaine's lips
and In the same moment that he sprans
to her side, he saw Tito's white dres
sink below the water that ccrled AM
dashed around the pier.
Save him-oh. save himi' Elain
cried, wildly.
- And In her terror there came to he
no sense Of recognition Of the man Q
cloaa huaida bar