Dodge City times., 1891-04-24
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IL was True tndt LdrIc WcliIudu uIu
look thoroughly angry-bewildered-
Dorothy Baker, laying one hand
heavily on her shoulder. "Do you
know anything about this sAild?''
Yes throwing him look of
mingled fear and defiance; 81 know that
love her"
Love her! You love everything and
everyone"
''Do I?''
'Yes, with one exception, Miss Dot
But that is not answering my question
| directly. What do you know about this
stranger?'
Il said / knew that loved her."
''Oh. Miss Dot, why can you not be
sensible one moment?" ard an amused
smile chased away the look of anxious
inquiry. why won't you think of how
I am placed, with a baby-a mere in
FAINT on my hands, and"
''She is year old, Guardy."
"A year old. How do you know that,
Miss Dot?''
''I-oh well, should judge SO. Would
not you?"
She looked so innocently demure that
it was with difficulty that her question
er rcfrained from smiling.
''Yes, l think you are right" and he
looked more earnestly at the baby
face. nesting SD contentcdly against
Dot.
The eyes. a pretty blue, were wide
open and gazing at him in pretty won
der. Involuntarily he held out his
hands, at which the babyocrowed in de-
light Its little dress was neat and
prettily made, and evidently careful,
loving hands had robcd the little one.
well, Miss Dot"
''Yes, Guardy."
Il am sorely puzzled. Let your wom-
ans wit advise me-"
''Woman's wit!' laughingly. ''And
you are always begging me to try to be
sensible"
''Well, then. try to tell me where
can find a home for this child. If can
not find some good, mothcrly soul to
take it we shall have to send it into
| the city to the orphan asylum, where
it will be cared for. Why, Dot! What
is the trOuble?" and he sprang forward
in alarm.
With face from which every parti-
Gle of color had fed, eyes fastened on
his in wild, dilated terror, clinging to
the child as if fearful that it would be
torn from her, she faced him.
NO! no!'' Slowly the words fell
from her blanched lips. ''Don't do
that, Guardy! 1t would be cruel, cruel!
Baby was sent to you. Some one wants
you to care for it. Some one knew
that you were pitiful and tender
hearted. Don't, don't send her away"
''Some one! DO you know who that
some one is?" he stcrnly demanded.
"Why, how should knOw?" and she
looked at him in blank astonishment.
''Only some one must have thought SO,
or they would not have left her here.
Don't you see? And" she timidly add
ed, lit must be that God wished you to
care for baby"
He smiled at her childish explana-
tiion.
Miss Dot, what queer girl you are.
Will I ever understand your strange
moods? All terror one moment, tear
fully entreating the next, but always
determined to have your own unruly
way"
"And may 1 this time? May 1 keep
baby?" she asked eagerly.
do you realize, child, what strange
predicament this places me in? What
would our neighbors say if adopted q
baby?"
''Who cares what people say2
don't"
mo, 1 know you do not, but do"
'.Then 1 know what we can do,
Guardy. You can tell Mrs. Grundy
that Mrs. Grey, your housekeeper, has
adopted child. She will consent If
ask her. May -"
Earle Wellman tugged viciously at his
dark mustache, looking thoughtfully at
the uplifted face.
You know, Guardy, that l am SO
lonesome sometimes. Just think how
this little one would amuse me. Do
not refuse me, Guardy."
No, l will not. Have your own
way, little Miss Dot That is, if Mrs
Grey will consent"
.'Oh, she will. Now kiss your little
protegc," and Dot laughingly held up
the cooling baby. With deeper color
Earle Wellman bent his dark head and
did as she bade him.
That's rightv' and laughing merrily,
the happy, triumphant girl fled from
the room.
1t was at college that Earle Wellman
met Howard Baker. They were class
mates, and soon became close friends.
A long time had elapsed since the day
they graduated. when Earle received
letter from Howard, written on his dy-
ing bed. In It he implorcd Earle to be-
come guardian to his motherless ten
year-old girl. ''Shc is rich in worldly
goods" he wrote, ''but without
home" Earle accepted the charge, and
placed Dorothy Baker under his moth
er's loving care. This was eight years
ago.
Dorothy, or little Miss Dot. as she
was generally called, owing to her
petite form and childish ways at ten,
willful, yet loving, sparkling bit of
fun and cheer, was changed but little
at the age of eighteen; while Earle
Wellman, still handsome at thirty
nine, had lost the frank, merry-hearted
way that had once characterized him,
and had grown coldly stern and re-
pelling to all, excepting the irresistible
Dot
It was true, as the servants said-that
Dot could win smile, even a snatch Of
true, ringing laughter from Earle Well
man, while others failed. Her childish
winsomeness unconsciously compelled
all to love her. Her irrepressible i'm
puisiveness was forever causing her
trouble, yet she was always ready to
soothe and cheer others with her soft,
caressing ways. Willfully defiant one
moment, strangely quiet and lovingly
docile the next, she had woven herself
around Mrs. Wellman's heart until she
seemed like an own daughter.
It had been happy household of
four. till the discovery that Lucie Well
man had eloped with q struggling artist
robbed it of all its sunshine, crushing
out the life of the gentle mother, for the