The San Francisco call., 1909-04-25


"You don't understand, Miss Hardie. My hus-
band has been recalled to England. We've got to
60 homei And we can't take her with usl We've
got-to-leave her-herew
"Nonsense"-I spoke sharply to discourage heT
hysterical fancy. why should you? sea voy-
age won't hurt her..
mo, the voyage won't hurt her. she repeated.
duly.
"Of course not Such a great big strong girl
can go anywhere her little bit of mother cant"
cried briskly. why she could easily pass for six
or seven weeks old~
That's the tropble~ walled Elsie "If only she
tiny, puny thing, we could manage"
At her words, vague though they were. cold
dread crept over me. But I would yield to
its bghting nAuence-not yet. I looked at her
sweet face-surely it was as innocent the little
which she gazing. | thought of Mr.
Todd--a clean man if there
touched her softly the shoulder.
LET me put baby back in her crib" begged,
"and then tell me all about it. 1 want to hepP
Her dry eyes filled with she yielded the
baby to me.
'You dearp she murmured Miss Hardic,
hoped you loved me- and | know you do"
We talked together quietly for a long time She
told that Mr.. Todd had been married before
to her own sister. That was when Elsie only
6 years old. Then when she but 7. she
left an orphan with no relatives only
this married sister in whose home she found a
welcome refuge. When Elsie was Is her sister
died, but Elsie and her old stayed on in her
brother in laws house, quite though she
the daughter of it. And there Elsie grew up, look
ing upon Hugh as her guardian and natural pro-
tector and he regarding her as his ward, precious
bequest from his wife. That relationship continued
between them until little than year ago.
Then there a subtle change. Hugh knew what
it was, but kept his knowledge himself, hoping
that she would not understand.
But her nurses sudden death brought things to a
climax. Then, with no one to chaperon her. he
felt that he could not let her live under the
roof with him, and he told her he going send
her distant cousin of hers in Scotland. and he
told her why The thought of separation from him
intoerabe her He had been father and
mother to her. and she knew that he
sweetheart too. and she could go away and
put him of her life
He tried to reason with her. tried to get her to
travel without him for few months, until he could
join her in America and then he would marry her,
but she, who had always been docile. would not
listen to him. and in desperation, against his own
better judgment, he consented to let her remain.
and they married at once in little out of
the way place by strange clergyman who knew
nothing about their antecedents. Morally this cere-
mony binding, but legally it had force, for
in England at that time man might not marry his
deceased wifes sister. And so they had to keep
their wedding secret
When Elsie reached this point light began to
dawn upon me, and presently she made everything
clear me.
When it became imperative that he should pro-
claim to the world that she had right to bear
his he her with friends to this country.
then announced his intention of marrying her and
followed her fortnight later, going through a sec
ond ceremony with her the day OF his landing in
New York and sending notices OF it to the London
papers. That in January, and all would have
been well if they could have put off their return
to England for another six months but Mr.. Todds :
unexpected recall upset all their calculations.
'We-cant-explan," Elsie sobbed IF we said
she premature baby nobody would believe
it-she is such fine, healthy grill Hugh doesn't
for himself, but he couldn't bear to have
treated coldIy. and. besides. for baby's sake be-
cause of the inheritance laws something must
never let anybody in England know our real we'd
ding day. He says baby can't go home just yet.
and don't know what to do Oh, I don't know
what to do"
sat thinking.
"You can not stay here with baby for few
months''
Il thought of that-but Hugh thinks 1 ought to
go with him." She smiled family. "He says he'd
, worry about much if I baby, too,
if he left behind"
II wonder'-I began slowly, then stopped
She leaned forward eagerly.
'Yes! dear Miss Hardie. Go oni Go ong'
: Still hesitated l loved this little patient of
mine, her baby had already preempted large cor
of my heart, but also love the field of action
; a nursery maid. Monotony is my
deadly enemy. Could stand to give up my work
and simply devote myself to taking of this
baby7 | pulled myself up roundly They that put
self first would better drop of the nursing pro-
fession-
) Elsie" said. Il think shall spend the vlSter
> with my widowed sister in New Jersey. Will you
; let have the baby to keep company"
Elsie laid her face against mine. felt her tears
upon my cheek.
"You dearF' she said for second time