The Falls City tribune., 1908-03-06


eyes
She sped away with n SOFT swtrl OF
dainty skirts, and his heart won't with
her. But he called II back and steel
ed Il There was work 10 be done, and
quickly No time for conscience now.
Carefully laying the baby down. he put
his hands TO his lips like trumpet
"Audrey-Miss Audrey" he called.
and hailed the little flying figure.
We'll, what is III Quick" came
family back.
Warm it-waarm II! Cold water
won't do-ooi" For he needed time.
Picking up the baby, no clutched the
dImity bundle firmly at arms length,
casting about for the right hiding
place
nnwn yonder, there IN the middle of
QUO of the paths, the gardener had left
Ids wheelbarrow loaded with straw
for mulching The Big Man darted
toward IL and thrust the Baby into the
fragrant, yielding mass-in, In. out OF
sight At the last moment he be-
thought him of Audrey's chocolates,
and crowded the moist little fists and
the little red cavern OF the Baby's
I mouth full OF the misunderstanding NOR
sci. G-r-r-r, they were good Heart o
| Sunshine gurgled appreciatlvely Then
! he drew the thin cover Of straw across
! his victim and was off, sauntering neg
/ lgently up tho path. He met Audrey
! half way. She had a cup of water In
her hand.
What have you done with-the
Baby7" she puffed. where's the Baby,
Richard Taft?"
"Ir--the what? Oh, the Baby? He's
all right, back there" waving over his
shoulder indefinitely. Let me take the
cup, Miss Audrey" He was guilty
anxious to conciliate.
"The Baby is girl" she retorted
stifIly, "and she Is not all right If you
have left her alone! The poor little de-
serted Lamb O. Innocence-yes, here's
Auntie! Aunties coming sweet" And
she was gliding swiftly away from
him. He could only follow, but sud
den fear for the success of his ruse
had engulfed his soul. He hurriedly
overlook her and laid his hand en-
treatingly on her sleeve.
Audrey, wait-for the Lords sake
give me just minute! There is some
thing must say, dear"
She was. not listening. Her eyes
were searching for the gleam of a lit
tie white slip against the green OF
the shrubbery. When they failed to
find 1t she turned upon him denounc
ingly.
II don't see her-tell me this min
ute where you left that innocent child
Dick"
'Dick'-oh, Audrey, that Is music
wait a minute, watt" he besought her
II must have n chance tell you The
little rascal is all right. He's enjoying
himself. You will not deny me my las
chance, Audrey?" Something in hi
face held her there before him, ros.
|, and shy. Her hands tluttered In his
but she did not draw them away. Fo
\ the space of those few wondrous mir
! utes, did she forget the Baby, too
| And-you will, Audrey? | am waitin
| for my answer, dear"
She tried to meet the look in hi
eyes, and woman-like, because sh
! could not, she sought refuge in mil
: chief
"Oh. how can tell?" she murmu
ed. rebelliously, perhaps I-well, l.
, might if-if-well, If you-if yo
i found the Baby-Dick!"
u She remembered the Baby then, 6
& any rate, and in sudden compunctlo
darted away to find her. He went, toe
y his fate hanging on the issue of tn
- hunt But he was not afraid. Straw
y easy enough to breathe through, an
It there were good many chocolate
,o 1t was not far down the path to-got
~ and men, where was the wheelbarrow
y There wasn't any. Nor north nor sout
;" nor east nor west. The pretty grount
>, ., stretched away on all sides of hir
~ wheelbarrowless!
Richard Taft uttered n sharp excl
u nation of horror. What did this mear
~ Had the "pitying gods" taken him
" his word and wheeled the little inn
cent to Salem, or Boston. or Lynn?
NJ "Oh, what shall we do! Where C;
~ the darling bel" walled poor Audre
~ too distracted to remember to l
~ proach him.
IS There, the-ere, don't worr
0' darling" he murmured tenderly. "Ht
all right somewhere, depend upon
y, I've only-er-misplaced him"
-, But In the end he had to confe!
no live put my foot in It," he sa
aas humbly: both feet, dear. l dropp
"a him into the straw. in the wheelbi
~, row. 1t was necessary-I had to
~, It. But 1t was nice, soft bed a
W. there were chocolates enough
last"
THE wheelbarrowi-Dick Y
~ didn't" She laughed Historically a
49, he Joined in a deep. mirthless boom,
var I'm afraid l did, dear"
=, Then where is that wheelbarro
Tell me quick!"
-, u can't he groaned; "the garden
no must have wheeled 1t away"
tle Then suddenly, in the midst of tn