The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-11-16

In the neighborhood of Diamond
Row" as some one wittily dubbed the
lang block of snowy, pressed brick
houses. Little Quiet's advent caused no
md Of comment and burning curiosity.
LAWYER Hodges, the keenest lawyer of
the city, had once been a wait and
made his own way upward. His wife
was an invalid and they were child
less. When one day a child of a year
old and a nurse-maid were installed at
their house the women of the block
we're not satisfied until each had made
friendly call and ELECTED such crumbs
of information as Mrs. Hodges would
impart.
Pieced together it was meager infor>
nation The child belonged to one of
MI Hodges clients and he had prom
ised to give it his personal supervision.
Mrs. Hodges did not know who the
parents were nor why the child was
there. The child was no annoyance
TO her, because it was quiet. In fact,
they called her Little Quiet, although
her name was Mary.
The good matrons of Diamond
Row." eager to do and be real society
people, felt and resented the subtle diff
ferences between that baby and their
own less dainty and beautiful off
spring. For Little Quiet was delicate
and pale, she had starry eyes and
small red mouth Her curls, now light
ava 40 he al
her lashes. Her skin was fine and her
hands and feet daintily formed. Money
was lavished on her, money from some
where She was a little queen, even if
isolated with her nurse in the third
story front of the pressed brick. She
was mot neglected. Before Lawyer
Hodges took his hat each morning he
mounted the two flights of stairs. cast
a suspicious eye over the nursery and
bedroom, inspected the child gravely
and kindly and departed-satisfied
Little Quiet could not talk WELL but
she chose to show appreciation of af-
lection by little smiles or movements
and gestures. Her nurse, who had
something like a conscience after a
long siege of troublesome charges, soon
adored her.
There never was a baby like her"
she would say ten times a day.
Wherever her people are they are
missing the sweetest one God ever
sent below
Even Lawyer Hodges thawed as the
child began to look for his morning
visits. He showed it by a sharper
mands, impractical and accepted by
Nurse Brown with charity.
One gloomy day Lawyer Hodges re-
ceived cablegram of some length over
which he looked sore. While he was
knitting his horehead, the head clerk
ushered in a woman. The lawyer
glanced up, suddenly pushed back the
cablegram and rose. His keen eyes
met eyes quite as keen, but beautiful
and imploring.
Madam"
You are surprised to see me, of
course. 1 have recovered. am here
because l want my child.
Your husband must inform you,
madam: am merely his lawyer. I
act by his instructions.
And he is in Europe 1 know the
child is not with him and you know
where she is. 1 would not let my
lawyer come-nor can 1 wait. l must
see my chiid-do you hear? l must
see the child"
But, madam
W. ASC0 IlOI Sdy one WOTQ. L QeIY
you. l am not afraid now of the
Whole world, because 1 have the clew
to the tangle. Harold was and is a
madly jealous man. He married me
from the stage with no deceit or guile
on my part. He was always Jealous,
always suspicious. And when I was
Ill, he thought he found those suspic-
ions verified, seized the child and fled
to Europe. But God is good. I am
now well and will not be trodden to
the dust Harold did not take baby
to Europe. She is hidden somewhere,
and you know where. Think of it,
think of it, My child torn from me
and I am wholly innocent. Can you
deny me her one moment? Think how
her mother must feel"
During this impassioned appeal the
lawyer stood peering out at her as if
appalled,. He had not the least doubt
Of her innocence, for he knew men and
well. But the husband was his
client and he must stand on the other
side. Something made him hate him
self as he said, slowly:
Madam, you must settle this with
your husband. l cannot act save as
he instructs me-"
LAS you instruct him, you mean. I
know lawyers ways. Harold is rich
and is your client. But tell you that
in the name of humanity you dare not