Free press., 1908-02-15

dainty skirts, and his heart went with
her. But he called 1t back and steel
ed it. There was work to be done, and
quickly. No time for conscience now.
Carefully laying the baby down, he put
his hands to his lips like a trumpet
Audrey-Miss Audreyi" he called.
and hailed the little flying figure
We'll, what is it? Quick!" came
family back
Warm it-wa-arm it! Cold water
won't do-oe!" For he needed time.
Picking up the baby, he clutched the
dimity bundle firmly at arms length,
casting about for the right hiding
place.
'hIwn yOnder, there in the middle OF
ole of the paths, the gardener had left
his wheeibarrow loaded with straw
for mulching. The Big Man darted
toward it 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
mouth full of the misunderstanding NOR
sell G-r-r-r. they were good! Heart q
Sunshine gurgled appreciatively. Then
he drew the thin cover Of straw across
his victim and was off, sauntering neg
i1gently up the path. He met Audrey
half way. She had cup Of water In
her hand.
What have you done with-the
Baby?" she puffed. Where's the Baby.
Richard Taft?"
"Er-the what? Oh, the Baby7 He's
all right. back there" waving over his
shoulder Indefinitely Let me take the
cup, Miss Audrey He was guiltily
anxious to conciliate.
The Baby is a girl" she retorted
stiff1y, 'and she is not all right If you
have left her alone! The poor little de-
serted Lamb O. Innocence-yes, here's
Auntie! Auntie's 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 10 some
thing l must say, dear
She was not listening. Her eyes
were searching for the gleam Of lit
tie white slip against the green Of
the shrubbery. When they failed to
find it she turned upon him denounc-
ingly.
Il don't see her-tell me this min
ute where you left that innocent child,
Dicki"
Dick'-oh, Audrey, that is music
wait minute, wait!" he besought her.
81 must have a chance tell you the
little rascal is all right He's enjoying
himself. You will not deny me my last
chance, Audrey?" Something in his
face held her there before him, rosy
and shy. Her hands futtered in his,
but she did not draw them away. For
the space of those few wondrous min
utes, did she forget the Baby, too?
And-you will Audrey? 1 am waiting
for my answer, dear"
She tried to meet the look in his
eyes, and woman-like, because she
could not, she sought refuge in mis-
chief.
"Oh, how can 1 tell?" she murmur-
ed, rebelliously, perhaps well, L
might, if-if-well, if you-if you
found the Baby-Dick!"
She remembered the Baby then, at
any rate, and in sudden compunction
darted away to find her. He went, too,
his fate hanging on the issue of the
hunt. But he was not afraid. Straw is
easy enough to breathe through, and
there were d good many chocolates.
It was not far down the path to-gods
and men, where was the wheelbarrow!
There wasn't any. Nor north nor South,
nor east nor west. The pretty grounds
stretched away on all sides of him,
wheelbarrowless!
Richard Taft uttered sharp excla-
nation of horror What did this mean?
Had the "pitying gods" taken him at
his word and wheeled the little inno-
cent to Salem or Boston, or Lynn?
"Oh, what shall we do! Where can
the darling be-" walled poor Audrey,
too distracted to remember to re-
proach him.
There, the-ere, don't worry,
darling" he murmured tenderly He's
all right somewhere, depend upon it.
I've only-er-misplaced him"
But in the end he had to confess.
1--we put my foot in it," he said
humbly; both feet, dear. l dropped
him into the straw, in the wheelbar
row. 1t was necessary had to do
it. But it was nice, soft bed and
there were chocolates enough to
last"
"The whee1barrow!-Dick You
didn't" She laughed Historically and
he joined in deep, mirthless boom.
"I'm afraid I did, dear"
''Then where is that wheelbarrow?
Tell me quick!"
'I can't he groaned; "the gardener
must have wheeled it away"
Then suddenly, in the midst of their
dread, a little sound came to them,
and Audrey laughed exultantly
Through the trees the gardener was
coming toward them with the Growing
Rahv in his armsI They could see the,