The Washington herald., 1915-04-21

beating. even as his arms cluns
tighter to the one who had come h
hinl. Perfectly satisfied. Billie was
making closer study Of this man.
creature he had decided to adopt
CnwinkinSly hts eyes studied the face
that looked down at him with such
nerco hungering. And then. slowly
ever 80 slowly, his arms moved up
along the great chest and a pair OF
rather sticky hands crept along the
checks and finally the arms clasped
gently and Billie slept.
Well 1 never saw tho beat-san,
wisht you'd look at"
Mary caught the annoyed express
, non on Rita's face as she turned and
spoke to her husband. He did not
hear her. wrapt in his eager study of
the Numbering baby's face. She felt
. sudden fierce Jealousy consuming
her. as she caught the expression OF
this man she seemed unacQUainted
with. this man who held q child to
hts breast 80 perfectly, with such an
expression Of unalioyed happiness
upon his face. Something dawned
upon her. with that intuition which
seems given women to amend for Q
certain lack OF logic. which her hus.
band would never have found out
that the perfect happiness that had
been hers, through this man was due
to the psternal instinct in him that
made him delight In treating her as
child, to be humored and pampered
and spoiled.
Come, Jim." she said softly, gtriv.
Ing beautifully to make her voice
sympathetic, I'VE must hurry now"
Reluctantly he returned Billie to
the mother. Rita noticed that for a
few steps he moved on tip-toe, a.
though fearful Of waking the child.
Once she met his eyes and. like an
roots Of his hair and tried to hide
the guilty expression upon his face.
Diffidently. yet with a certain curious
flrmness he led her to the library,
seating her in his favor.te chair and
perching himself boyishly upon the
arm Of II. his arms about her.
NO wonder Sans got q good dis.
position" he said finally.
She breced herself instinctively.
Though he tried to make the oonver.
sation appear casual. she hurdled
everything he was about to say, just
as she had once hurdled his EN-.
barrassed preamble previous to de-
claring his love for her. They are
afar or. knowing no trail too desul-
tory but may be brought into their
broad highway. She nodded indiffer-
emily
II sometimes wonder II home can
be homo at all without a baby" he
more to the sympathetic
flames than to her. II remember how
my mother always thought OF me a.
her baby, even after 1 was In col
lege."
Don't you ever think-Rita. don't
you ever wish there was q baby in
our houss?" His voice was low, his
We rds q bit stumbling now. a. though
he found difficulty expressing himself.
Wouldn't 1t sort Of make things
happier and"
She forced . laugh to her lips. q
gay. tender laugh even as her fingers
twined nercely about his own. She
drew his cheek down to her velvety
ore. wondering that she could be
thus arttul when her whole soul was
rising In revolt against this masculine
demand. -
But. Jim. I don't want any ohii-
dren just now. I want to enjoy my
self. to See something Of happiness.
she tempered the blow.
sometimes think. Jim, that I'm
little more than child myself. I've
been Gagged and starved 80 long that
I hardly seem grown up yet. Don't |
you understand. Jim7"