Arizona republican., 1922-06-13
chapter XVI

After a bit the man spoke:
..uo,v wonderful-God answered
he,. nraverp he breathed. more 70
himself than to Olive. He then LOOK
from, his pocket a large gold locKet.
He opened it and held 1t SO oliVe
what does it look like?" he asked
in a voice tremulous with emotion.
Look carefully" t,,
Wide eyed, Olive gazed. her breath
coming and going in little gasps. -
"It is the very image OF you-you
ara the image of her--come!"
He led her to the little studio MIR
ror pausing to raise the shade hlgner
as they passed the window. He held
The nictured face beside her own.
she was breathless, almost frightened
bv the resemblance. 1t was more thah
that The picture might easily have
been her portrait. No wonder TINS
man who had not yet given her
name by which to call him, no Won
Aer he had accosted her and was
interested to know who she was ii ne
knew that other--the girl OF the MIN
ature. ,o,,oa
She hadn't spoken, but had looked
from her own reflection to that Oh tne
picture. then back again as II Ias-
cinated. ... aoar.
no,., i will tell you one" he began
) ah,1,nf,y as he led her back to her
coat his hand resting on her arm:
"Oh child, Child! IL it should pc.
He covered his face with his nanos
for a moment. then resalneo ms
calmness and went on
my name is Baker--Herbert Baker.
Twenty -one years ago marrieu hsl
Elaine That miniature you have IN
,,our hand was her wedding present
m ma IT never has left me. We nao
haen married not quite a year wnen
o,,,- kaby came. a darling little Slrl.
Even then, in her long clothes. sue
looked like her mother" He paused
moment and Olive scarcely preatheu
because of some warning that was
growing within her until Dreath Was
crowded out She leaned Iol Wal y,
her chin in her cupped hanus. nea 81
evas fixed upon his face. wanting 10
tsll rim To go-go on quickly-but NOT
baving strength to frame the woras.
III was a hot night" he finaliy re-
snn,ed his story 1.-The curb was al
vavs in our room Elaines mother
love would not allow her BABY 10
s1aen where she could not near the
fainfest cry To think it was that
love that made the thing SO easy,
ue stifled a groan. "Before we re-
ti,.Ad Drew the crib to the open WIN
dow to give the baby more air. w men
we awolle-early in the morning, the
crib-was empty-the papy-was
gone. TRY. if you can. imagine our
feelings. the mothers frantic CANS lor
her babe-my despair!
He paid no attention to gaspihs
sound from Olive, who was Whl.ei Wh
than snow as she glued her eyes upon
him. fearful to miss one iooh' one
word.
she had gone. why she was taken.
Nothing in the room had been
tonched although at first we thought
tho robbers might have been thleVes
and afraid she might cry and wake
ms Rut there was nothing. nothing 10
show where she had gone but lad
der against the window that showed
bous For weeks and months we
searched. never giving up nope, anu
never. finding a clue that led to any
thing encouraging. Six montns alter
our baby girl was stolen a BOY was
horn to us. but my wife dled. sue
had been worn too far down. it was
sorrow killed her. At the last 4
promised her I'd never give up look
ing for our girl, never as long as Goa
let me live. | have kept that promise
and for 20 years have never given up
the euest-hopeless as it has seemed
until. had it not been for my prom
ise. | should have given up perhaps
because of the discouragements' the
unlikelihood of finding her after so
many wears had passed.
Great tears We're chasing eacn
other down olives face, but she was
unconscious of them. She sat very
still
Il have spent fortune searching
I gave UP my business. prosperous
one. invested my moeny as well as
could. and have given my life to the
search-twentv years. I can't die
until I have found my daughter. |
cannot go to Elaine. who died OF
grief over her loss. without the
assurance that she is found at last.
7 heIieye-mv-de you are my
child. Such a likeness could not ex-