The San Francisco call., 1904-02-14

WHO brought it-this hamper" he
demanded excitedly. confronting the
old butler at the door. Call him
back. Don't stand there staring! Call
him back. say"
Peter, his mind totally upset by his
masters excitement, started to go
turned back-started again, and then
came to a full stop.
ITS no use, Mr.. Hugh!" he quav-
cred at last Its no use. because the
man came in sleigh and started off
again fore 1 closed the door
His master stared at him in speech
less impatience for a moment, then
turned back TO the table where the
beauty in miniature.
Send Mary to me-" he directed
briefly, and. moved by some impulse
that he could not explain, he reached
out and drew off one of the absurd
little bags that served the infant for
mittens.
As the tiny pink and white hand,
with its fingers curled under, lay in
his great brown one, a strange thrill
travelled along his spine. He had never
dreamed of touch so utterly appeal
ing. His intention of sending for the
authorities to come and remove the
child melted like snow before the sun.
A very wonderful thing had happened.
Hugh Grantley had fallen in love for
the first time in his life-not with a
woman, but with a helpless, pink and
white morsel of humanity. If. five
minutes earlier. he had felt only a
fierce resentment at the impudence
that had foisted this child upon him.
he now felt that he would fight, If
need be, to retain it.
Please, sir, I am here" said the
voice OF the housekeeper. Grantley
dropped the babys hand as II he had
suddenly found it a live coal. and, with
the air of a man emerging from
dream, he remarked with non-com-
initial air:
"Oh. yes!"
Then he remembered why he had
sent for her and continued as natural
ly, as Mary remarked to Peter after
ward, las if having babies left at the
door was an everyday affair
Take 1t to your room, Mary. and see
If you can find any mark on its cloth
ing-any clew to its identity"
In an incredibly short time she re-
turned, but not before he had deter
mined to keep the boy al all hazards.
Il could find nothing, sir-no mark
of any kind she said. laying the child
back in the hamper as if So wanted to
get rid Of it before she incurred any
responsibility. The clothes are fine.
but very plain, and there's no mark OF
any sort upon them"
why doesn't he wake up?" demand
fact that through all of this commotion
the child had continued to sleep.
Il think it's been drugged. sir. But
she's a beautiful child, sir. She"
She" was GrantIey's Mortified eJac-
ulation. You don't mean to tell me it's
a girl" and the dismay of his tone was
enough to make the fates themselves
repent of having played so low a trick
upon a man whose dominant trait had
always been his shyness of women.
"A grill" he repeated Imply.
The whole fabric of his dreams was
shattered in a moment. One couldn't
go travelling about the world with
girl One couldn't hunt and fish and
smoke with a girl Obviously, since
the child was a girl it would have TO
be turned over to the authorities.
But no sooner had he reached this
conclusion than a revulsion of feeling
same over him. He felt again the ex-
quisite touch Of that tiny, rose-leaf
hand, realizing that its hold upon him
i. was but the stronger for what he had
learned He fancied now that he could