The Grit-advocate., 1905-02-10

The snowhakes were falling like
silent tears upon the white face of the
earth as Hugh Grantley parted the
heavy curtains and looked out
With his hands thrust in the pock-
cts of the disreputable old house coat,
the last of the Grantleys turned back
into the room, and sinking into big
chair stared thoughtfully into the fire.
From the wall above him the portrait
of a fair sweet woman looked down
with lifeike intelliScnce-as if she
could still feel the loneliness OF her
only son.
He was 4 man of 2S, with a rugged
face, a head of unruiy hairfand an in
quiring mind, which had carried him
far-and left him still vaguely restless
and unsatistied
A tap at the door interrupted his
meditations. and in response to his
Come Peter, the bent and feeble old
butler, who had served the family for
years, entered the room. bearing an
obiong hamper of some size.
Grantley gazed at the hamper some
what wonderinGly.
Sure its for me, Peter?' he in.
quircd with puzzled air.
Peter held up the tag attached to
the basket on which the name of
Hugh Grantley" appeared in the
vertical handwriting which is u guar
antee against all doubt.
Grantley rose and stood looking
down at the basket with frank curios
ity. Realizing that the only solution
of the mater was to open it. he AT
last undd the fastenings and laid
back the cover.
The exclamation that fell from his
lips showed that he was amazed be-
yond the powers of expression.
Lying in the basket before him was
something that he at first took to be
a doll of extraordinary size and beauty
IA doll with soft rings OF yellowish
hair and a mouth at once so brief and
sweet that it was like a kiss made of
flesh and blood.
Great heavens" he gasped breath
lessly, as it Gawned upon him that the
round cheeks were too soft and vel
vety to be of wax Its actually
alive"
Then as his wits rallied he rang
the bell violently three times in sue
cession.
Send Mary TO me, Peter" he di.
rectcd briefly, and. moved by some i'm
pulse that he could not explain. he
reached out and drew off one of the
absurd little bags that served the i'll
fant for mittens.
AS the tiny pink and white hand
with its fingers curled under. lay in
his great brown one, Il strange thrill
travelled along his sp;rc. 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 lis lifC--not with a
woman, but with helpless, pink and
white morscl OF humanity.
Please, sir, am here" said the
voice of the housekeeper. Grantley
dropped the babys hand as if he had
suddenly found it live coal.
Take it to your room. Mary, and
see if you can find any mark on its
clothins-any clew to its identity.
In an incredibly short time she re-
turned, but not before she had deter
mined to keep the boy at all hazards.
Il could find nothing. sir--no mark
of any kind" she said, laying the child
back in the hamper. The clothes are
fine. but very plain, and there's no
mark of any sort upon them"
Why doesn't he wake up?" de.
manded Grantley abruptly, struck by
the fact that through all of this com.
motion the child had continued to
sleep.
Il think it's been drusged, sir. But
she's beautiful child. sir She"
She" was Grantley's Mortified
ejaculation. You don't mean to tell
me it's girl"
The whole fabric OF mis- dreams was
shattered in moment. One couldn't
go travelling about the world with .
girl One couldn't hunt and fish and
smoke with girl. Obviously since
the child was Il girl it would have to
be turned over to the authorities
But no sooner had he reached this
J conclusion that revulsion of feeling
came over him. He felt again the ex.
Quisite touch Of that tiny, rose.leaf