New Britain herald., 1926-06-23

hate the little place that had once
 seemed heaven to her.
 She blamed the babys sickness on 1t. She knew that if he had had a sunny. airy room to sleep ina porch where he could have spent his days, he wouldn't be the frail, white , thing he was.
 The thought became an obsession with her.
 She began to hate The Nest as a prisoner would hate his cell. The baby had been sick for five days when Miss Blodgett, the train
 ed nurse. opened the door of Sylyia's
 room one afternoon.
 Only ten minutes before, she had
 ordered her to lie down, and as soon as Sylvia looked at her face, she saw that something was wrong.
 i've just telephonod for Dr, Buz- zard,' she said, "and I thought I ought to tell you-that the baby seems a little worse"
 The words were hardly out of her mouth when Sylvia was off the bed and out of the room like q flash.
 She bent over the babys crib, shaking all over with fear.
 There was no doubt that the baby was much worse. The flush of fever was gone from him and Sylvia imagined that there was q bluish tinge to his waXen skin. He was making the queerest little gaspng sounds. They seemed 10 merge into a long, rattling moan.
 She turned her stony face to the nurse and took her by both shoul- ders.
 You tell me the truth, Miss Blodgett," she said to her. my haby's going to die, isn't he?"
 CHAPTER XLVI
 Miss Blodgett answered her in the crisp cheerful tone trained nurses manage to have at all times, somehow, no matter how tired and discouraged they may be.
 "The doctor will be here any min ute, Mrs. Phelps" she said smooth ing down her smooth white apron.
 put NN lfId NGS Aullt ulldSSuI 'I. Stricken dumb at the prospect of losing from her life that tiny bit of quivering flesh, Sylvia seized the baby, seated herself on q chair and placed the child on her lap. Per haps she could infuse into him some of her own vitality.
 A look of mild reproof came over nF l1tf fore the nurse could speak Sylvia had returned the chile to his bed and bent over him, gazing at his face.
 Mrs. Phelps" Miss Blodgctts voice came, as if from another world. "Is there anyone you'd like me 10 call? Your husband?" Sylvia turned her haggard face to her, for a moment. Get Ranny," she answered shortly, and bent over the baby once more. As she looked at him. some sub tie change went over his face. A blu pallor seemed to come down over it like a veil, and settle in the hollows under his eyes and around the pinched little nose and mouth. .
 She put out her hand and touch- jed the tiny. waNen wrist. She could just feel the wee, fluttering pulse in it. And his wrist seemed so cold, suddenly.
 Sinking spell" she heard Miss Blodgett murmur, and presently she . was holding a coffee spoon Of brandy and water to the baby's half . opened lips.
 Sylvia knew that he was dying. | She didn't have 10 ask Miss Blodg- lett her question a second time. |. Without anyone telling her she j. knew it beyond shadow of doubt. |
 She leaned close over him. not !! daring 10 touch him. But she felt ! that so long as she was close 10 him death couldn't reach down and take ! him away from her. l
 My baby" she said. and if seem- !, ed to Miss Blodgett that. as she said | 1t. she was dcfying anything 10 take 1. what belonged to her away from . her.
 She didn't know when the door ! bell rang. or when Miss Blodgctt . opened the door of The Nest But . suddenly Dr. Buzzard was in the . hushed room and with him was an- l other doctor-a stranger.
 Only then she backed away from the crib, and sid down to the floor . in the farthest corner of the room. .
 She saw the two men lean over 1 the little bed. look at each other, 1 and then at Miss Blodgett.
 "Well, why don't you do somc- l thing?" she heard herself say in a l harsh voic5 unlike her own .'What | do you stand there for? Why don't i you do something?"
 Something in his face, as Dr. Bug . gard turned toward her. told hor . why he didn't do anything for inc bahy-told her as plainly as any words could have told her. It was too late to do anything.
 She met his look with eyes that ] had no light no expression in them. They were like the eyes of a blind | woman.
 And without a sound, without a tear. she got up from her corner and went to the baby. She picked i. him up. blankets and all, and col lapsed on the edge of his little bed, holding him pressed close to her, as if she wanted give him some of her own warmth and life. She knew it was of no use, and yet she couldn't lay him down.
 She couldn't give him up-this small thing that was her own flesh and bleed and spirit-hcr own and Ranny'S.
 She was still sitting there, an hour later. when Fanny came home.
 Miss Blodgett had telcphoned everyone he knew, and had finally found him at the Atheneum club, where he had been playing bill lizards with T''oody King.