The Colfax chronicle., 1891-06-13

''Oh, Miss Dot, why can you not be
sensible one moment?" and an amused
smile chased away the look of anxious
inquiry. why won't you think of how
/ 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?"
''Yes, think you are right" and he
looked more earnestly at the baby
face, nesting so contentedly against
Dot.
"Well. Miss Dot
'Yes, Guardy."
II am sorely puzzled. Let your wom-
ans wit advise me-"
''Woman's witr' laughingly. "And
you are always begging me to try to be
sensible
swell, then. try to tell me where l
can find home for this child. If l can
not find some good, motherly soul to
tax 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 tronble?" 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! nor 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 sternly demanded.
'sWhy, 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, 1T must be that God wished you to
care for baby"
He smiled at her childish explana-
tiion.
Miss Dot, what a queer girl you are.
win / 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 this time? May l keep
baby?" she asked eagerly.
do you realize, child, what strange
this places me in? What
would our neighbors say if adopted a
baby?'
"Who cares what people say? /
don't"
mo, / know you do not, but do"
''Then i know what we can do,
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 ! am so
lonesome sometimes. Just think how
this little one would amuse me. Do
not refuse me, Guardy."
No, will not. Have your own
way, little Miss Dot. That is, if Mrs.
Grey will consent"
''Oh, she will. Now kiss your little
protege,' and Dot laughingly held up
the cooling baby. With deeper color
Earle Wellman bent his dark head and
lid as she hade him
''That's rightr' and laughing merrily,
the happy, triumphant girl fed 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
hey graduated. when Earle received a
etter from Howard, written on his dy-
ing bed In 1t he implored Earle to be-
come guardian to his motherless ten
year-old girl. ''She is rich in worldly
goods" he wrote, but without a
home" Earle accepted the charge, and
placed Dorothy Baker under his moth
srs 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,
villful, yet loving, a sparkling bit of
iun and cheer, was changed but little
1t the age of eighteen; while Earle
Wellman, still handsome at thirty
nine, had lost the frank, merry-hearted
way that had once characterized him,
Ind had grown coldly stern and re-
oelling to all, excepting the irresistible
Dot.
1t was true, as the servants said-that
Dot could win a smile, even a snatch of
rue, ringing laughter from Earle Well
nan, while others failed. Her childish
unconsciously compelled
Ill to love her. Her irrepressible i'm
)ulsiveness was forever causing her
;rouble, yet she was always ready to
'oothe and cheer others with her soft,
ways. Willf1lly defiant one
strangely quiet and lovingly
iocile the next, she had woven herself
lround Mrs. Wellman's heart until she