Omaha daily bee., 1897-04-18

muir from one of the heavily curtained win.
dow recesses. 1t was a woman's voice, low
sweet, caresSing and filled with an. almost
pathetic tenderness. And it was followed
by a distinct gurgling, satisfied crow.
Barker turned instantly in that direction
A step brought him to the curtain, where d
singular spectacle prCSerIed itself.
Seated On a lounge, completely absorbed
and possessed by her treasure, was the "hor-
rid woman whom his wife had indicated
only a little while ago, holding a baby
Kftty's sacred baby-in her wanton lap. The
child was feebly grasping the end of the
slender jeweled necklace which the woman
held temptingly dangling from a thin, white
jeweled finger above it. But its eyes were
| beaming with an intense delight, as If try
ing to respond to a deep, concentrated love
in the handsome face that was bent over 1t.
At the sudden intrusion of Barker Mrs.
Horncastle looked up. There was a faint
rise in her color, but no loss of self-posses-
sion.
please don't scold the nurse" she said,
nor say anything to Mrs. Barker. 1t Is all
my fault. l thought that both the nurse and
child looked dreadfully bored with each
other, and | borrowed the little fellow for a
while to try and amuse him. At least |
haven't made him cry, have |, dear?" The
last epithet, it is needless to say, was ad-
dressed to the little creature in her lap, but
in its tender meditation it touched the
fathers quick sympathIes as if he had shared
1t with :he child. you see" she said softly,
disengaglng the baby's fingers from her
necklace, that our sex is not the only one
tempted by jewelry and glitter
Barker hesitated; the MadOnna-like de-
votion OF the moment ago was gone; 1t was
only the woman of the world who laughingly
looked up at him. Nevertheless, he was
touched. "Have you-ever-had a child,
Mrs. Horncastle? ?" he asked gently aud hest
tatingly. He had a vague recollection that
she passed for a widow. and in his simple
eyes all women were virgins or married
saints
mo" she said abruptly. Then she added
with a laugh. cor perhaps I should not ad-
mlre them so much. | suppose It's the same
feeling bachelors have for other peoples
wives, But | know you're dying to take
that boy from me. Take him, then, and
don't be ashamed to carry him yourself just
because I'm here; you know you would de-
light to do it if | weren't"
Barker bent over the silken lap in which
the child was comfortably nesting, and in
that attitude had a faint consciousness that
Mrs. Horncastle was m,schieyously breath
ing into his curls a silent laugh. Barker
lifted his first-born with proud skillfulness,
but that sagacious infant evidently knew
when he was comfortable. and in a paroXysn
of objection caught his fathers curls with
one fist, while with the other he grasped
Mrs. Horncastle's brown braids and brought
their heads into contact. Upon which humor-
GUS situation Norah, the nurse, entered.
ITS all right, Norah," said Mrs. Horn
castle, laughing, as she disengaged herself
from the linking child. "Mr, Barker has
claimed the baby and has agreed TO forgive
you and me and say nothing to Mrs, Barker"
NOrah, with the inscrutabIe criticism of her
sex on her sex, thought it extremely proba-
BILE and halted with eXasperating discretion.
There continued Mrs. HOrncastle, play
fully eyading the child's further advances,
Ego to papa, that's a dear. Mr.. Barker pre-
fers to carry him back, NOrah.'
''But," said the ingenious and persistent
Barker, still lingering in hopes of recalling
the woman's previous expression, you DO
love children, and you think him a bright
little chap for his age?"
Eyes" said Mrs. Horncastle, putting back
her loosened braid, $50 round and fat aud
soft. And such a discriminating eye for
jewelry! Really, you ought to get a neck
lace like mine for Mrs, Barker-lt would
please botn. YOU know" She moved Slowly
away, the united efforts Of Norah and Bar
ker scarcely ~suficing to restrain the strug-
Cling child from leaping after her as she
turned at the door and blew him a kiss,
ITO Be Continued