The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1916-01-26


part with it.
She had been confessedly lonesome
since the last daughter had married
and gone away.
/ The baby was making playful clutch
es at Mrs. Atherton's beautiful white
hair, but its blue eyes wandered around
| the room as if searching for some be-
| loved and familiar object.
"It wants it's mother" remarked Don.
Mrs. Atherton came back to the pres
ent with an indignant start.
'sIts mother!'' she shifted. "a nice
sort of creature she must be to deliber-
ately abandon her child! have heard
! Of such cases. and simple men are
usually the victims.
"Don Anterior. tell me truly did not
some woman ask you to hold her child,
and when she did not come back did
you not take out the fruit cake and
substitute the baby?'
81 did not" Don denied holly. Then
he related, incident by incident, how he
| had boarded the train at Red Top. had
| placed Aunt Celia's bandbox on a seat
and gone into the smoker and at the
| last moment had returned for his be-
longings.
"You are sure you have your own
overcoat and bag?" asked Mrs. Ather-
ton anxiously.
Don looked toward the couch where
he had tossed them, and his eyes wild
ened in growing horror. Instead of
his own travel worn black bag was a
dainty affair silver trimmed and dis
| tinctly feminine, and instead of his
own topcoat was a woman's long black
cloak.
"Good heavens, mother, look at
thatr' he gasped. II must have made
| frightful mistaken
"You have" agreed Mrs. Anterior
grimly. ''Look at that bandbox, Don.
See the row of holes around the cover?
To give air to this unfortunate child.
But why should a woman want to carry
a baby in a handbook"
"Search mev' muttered Don for the
second time.
''You must go right down to the sta
ton and report what you have DONE"
"Of course-I'n telephone first" He
| moved toward the instrument.
He dropped the receiver as hurried
| tap sounded at the door, and a serv-
| ants frightened face appeared.
Behind her were other faces and a
confused murmur of voices.
"Please, Mrs. Atherton, the-the po-
she gasped.
A blue uniformed figure pushed past
her and entered the room.
"Pardon me, madam, but L am look
| ing for Donald Anterior, wanted On
charge Of kidnapping
IT am Donald Atherton," interrupted
| the young man, coming forward.
Here is the baby-it was all mis-
| take, Officer-an exchange Of belong
| ings-I had a bandbox with a fruit
cake in it, and"-
ooh, baby, babyy' interrupted a
sweet, glad voice, and the officer was
| thrust aside as slender, black gown
ed figure rushed in.
AS she came, she dropped a big flow
cred bandbox at Don's feet.
"Here is your horrid old CAKE" she
flung at him as she passed.
Reluctantly Mrs. Atherton transfer
L
and it chung to her with little blissful
gurgles.
The others watched her as she Groom
ed over the baby-the two policemen,
| the startled maidservant, a strange
| footman who carried Don's bag and
overcoat, Mrs. Atherton and Don him
self.
Don thought he had never seen a
fairer picture. The girl was SO beau
tiful. Her black garments enhanced
the purity Of her complexion, and
strands Of red gold hair curled under
her hat brim.
The policeman coughed significantly.
| "Well, MADAME" He addressed the
girl
She turned with startled glance.
"Ohv' She looked from Don to his
mother, and blush swept over her
fairness. 'It is all right, officer. 1 am
sure it can be explained" She shifted
the baby to her other arm and opened a
silver mesh bag. She slipped folded
bill into the officers hand, dismissed
them with a smile and spoke to the
footman:
Martin. bring in Mr.. Atherton's lug
gage"
Don pushed chair forward, and she
sank into it, with a smile. He noticed
that the baby was asleep and that its
head had found the same sort of cud
ding place that his mothers arms of
fered.
"Shall we try to explain this absurd
mistaken" asked the girl.
Mrs. Atkerton from her corner of the
sofa regarded the gil with friendly
eyes.
Suppose you let Don tell his story,
and then we will hear yours" she sug-
gested.
So Don Anterior repeated his story
of the fruit cake in the Powered band
box. of his excursion to the smoking
car, his return at the last moment and
his hasty snatching Of bandbox and
bag.
The girl listened, nodding her head
gravely as he finished.
"You boarded the train at Red Top"
she said. 81 got on at the next station,
Fairmont. AS that train is made up of
ordinary coaches, 1 took it in prefer
ence TO the later train, on which seat
was reserved for me.
"At the last moment the baby's nurse
deserted me, and so I did what yor
must think was an absurd thing-I put
/ wy A III 4 !