New-York tribune., 1920-10-24
bar and push; Pll keep the baby

bar and push; Pll keep the baby
quiet"
After a mute search of all hori-
IONS, Noble abandoned hope of u
providential nurse, took hold of the
handlebar, and pushed, while Flor
ence walked beside the perambula-
tor, flourished her arms and itchy
cooed at the top of her voice. The
baby responded in volume and pitch,
but not in kind; for so long as his
eyes, every time he opened them,
were able to see the source of his
terrors still persistent near him. he
naturally endeavored to express his
desire to escape from it's presence.
And this i'nterlude sof the walking
party brought Florence some min
utes as nearly perfect as may be
known by human being-she was
playing that she was the mother and
Noble Dill the father.
She convinced herself that one or
two strangers, passing the group
took this to be the situation.
1t was rapture.
THEY turned the corner and saw
IL the others of the walking party
at considerable distance in ad.
vance Of them. for Julia, in her
stride, went like strong fugitive
Noble was in two minds as to the
wisdom Of coming up with her, but
when he beheld the charmed figure
thus Fastening and f1uttering against
the afternoon light, he could not
choose; his feet would have borne
him forward had the baby he peram-
bulated been twins. Noble hurried
ne hurried and perspired; his COM
l1exion could not safely have taken
more vivid tint.
The overstimulated Florence
meanwhile, skipped and trotted be.
side the whooping perambulator
equaling it in vociferousness and in
ether ways helping to make lively
the progress of the unusual little
caravan. And presently Julia and
her two close companions were con.
scious of something noisy not fa1
behind them, but for little time
remained unaware that the noise
bore any definite relation to them.
selves. During this interval the hub.
hub was continuously maintained al
a distance of about eighty feet be-
hind them.
Noble felt that to be close enough
His feeling toward the persons re-
sponsible for his condition had be.
come one of bitter animosity, miti.
gated, in respect to Florence, only
by his cowardly fear of offending
her, but in respect to the baby not
mitigated at all. If he could have
been alone with the latter for a few
minutes, Noble would have SAID
things that Mrs. Dill, his mother
did not know he knew.
Now approaching upon the oppo-
site side Of the street there came
lightly strolling gentleman even
more bedizened than the merrily
appareled Ridgely; and at sight OF
him Florence's championship OF
Noble temporarily prevailed over
her passion for ministering to babies
Look" she said. OTIS that ole
Mr.. Clairdyce"
"Oh, know him" Noble NUT
tered, but this was an understate-
ment, since, like Newland Sanders
and Mr.. Ridgely, Noble and Mr.
Clairdyce knew each other SO wei,
that they no longer "spoke."
Florence went on. Hes the one
sent her the alligator when he was
in Florida, and it was over three
feet long. She had it put in the
kitchen sink, and when Kitty Silver
came down in the morning it was
looking at her over the edge of it
and she never got SO upset in hel
whole life. My, how grandpa does
hate him."
f. Mr.. Clairdyce was destined t
cause more trouble Immediately
AS he bowed to Julia, from across
the street, he hesitated, and seemed
of a mind brazenly to join the trio
but an insistent assault upon his
ears had logical effect upon his eyes
they roved unwillingly from Julia tc
to the rear of her walking party
and opened wider in happy surprise
With every element of conspicuous
ness he uttered loud laugh, ther
went on his way, having abruptly
changed his mind about joining the
party.
His conspicuous laugh was what
caused Julia to glance over hel
shoulder and come to a halt.
"NOb1o Din - cbo criaI