The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1891-01-22

girls shoulder and seemed perfectly
happy and at rest He was so pretty |
that no woman could have refraiucd |
from oaress 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 Tho child's !
eyes began to close under her soft and |
soothing touches
sic must 90 to bed," said Featrice,
decisively.
Certainly" said Uncle Horace.
where had he better sleepP"
"Jane has most comfortable bed"
said Herbert.
"No no." exclaimed Pcatroe; She
shall sleep with me. ook at him, I'M
Gle Horace; ism t he perfect cherubp"
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! Sec
what clean, beautiful 10y it is. Whit
taker. send large can of hot water to
my roo .. Come, my pet; will see
how l 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" sad Horace. 1T may be
marked with his name"
In about half an hour time eatrice
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 p 'o.eqe was sleeping the sleep of
innocent babyhood. At last she went
away altogether
''Beatrice is more demonstrative than
| b,l eyed her to be- said Horace re-
gretfully. Herbert echoed the regret,
but Nr. 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
Clauson.
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
back to his lodgin IN the village,
thinking what a chaYning picture Miss
; Clauson with the Mild in her arms
made. Poor Mr.. Mordlc! He had only
known Beatrice week, and was
already beg ming to dream foolish
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
pc ,siblc theory which might account
Il for the child's appearance among them
i SO The subject was threadbare, anC
} thev sat in silence trying to inven
= fresh causes. Suddenly a most curiou
and startling suspc on entered Horac
u Talbert's mind-a suspicion which nov
n and then made him glance at hi
q brother Cou Herbert by any chanc
10 know all about the matterP He ha
certainly seemed greatly taken wit
% the little boy. Horace remembers
d how much at home the child had mad
&c himself with Herbert. How when he
Horace, came out of the drawing-roor
re w tn teatrice, he had found Herbel
III patting and stroking the little heaC
&c Herbert's life about which he kne
re nothingP He pooh-poohed the though
J" but it came again and again.
ne Just after one O'clock, and when I'll
Id brothers were thinking of retiring,
their great surprise eatrice Teappeal
e ed. She was in dainty dressing gov
a. and slippers. After waiting until M
10 Mordle must certainly have gone 81
| L. 4 <Nf 70 hnQ
he anv more news had arrived. UnC
'ee' Horace, with his eyes fixed on Herbel
)t, expressed his conviction that no ney
Ut was meant to arrive.
e,r "rhen what will you do?" she aske
Us at last.
p - G will wait until tomorrow,
u, the day after; then put the matter in
ne the hands of the police" said Horac
10 decisively.
oy Herbert SAID nothing, so his brother
ayy susp cions Increased Beatrice rose,
w if to say good night. She stood for
10. while on the rug, apparently intent
70 lntere ted in a series of tiny circl
au which she was describing with Il
sd point of one slipper. resently 81
a." as looked up with flushed cheek al
he spoke in n quick hurried way;
~, 'lf nobody comes for the boy, won
III you mind my keeping himP"
Ia "My dearl' cried Uncle HoraC
NV NV aghast. "Here?
nny1 She clasped her hands. "Oh, Un'
rn Horace, she said 81 have had such
I'd drearv miserable life ever since W
ro,. seventeen. I have nothing TO dc
"a nothing o live for. l could be so hap
o;' with that dear child to look after. OF
. rm up and see him sleeping. He is t
rod sweetest baby"
20 "Such nonsense, Beatricem I'm,
Zoe Horace settled himself into his oh,
' az and showed by the acton that legi
,t;c of sleeping babies would not indr
,u0 him to 90 and look at their slumberi
$50 forms.
'ar " hen you come, Uncle Herbert. :.
she is prettier SIGHT than any of your {
tbo masters
IN Herbert gave his quiet smile. He "
Oh ~ of less stern stuff than Horace that
, - if either of the alberti could be cal
VI stern. He suffered Beatrice to lead b
to her ROOM duly admired the lit
oou stranger, then, with his niece, return
ust to Horace. After this manifestation
ent weakness Horace's unworthy suspic
heh was all but certa nty.
ug- "You will let me keep himP" plea'
ION Beatrice. 81 am sure you will"
eu, Horace made no reply to her UNI
10 sonYble request In their usual dignii
manner the two gentlemen made Il
preparations for shutting up. Beatl
-er- went back TO her ROOM