Chapter XXV

The Baby's Sponsors

'Is there anything wrong between you and Robert?' Hester asked this question of her husband, one morning in January, as he was sitting by the side of her sofa in their bedroom. The baby was in her arms, and at that moment there was a question as to the godfathers and godmother for the baby.

The letter from Mrs. Smith had arrived on the last day of October, nearly two months before the birth of the baby, and the telegrams refusing to send the money demanded had been despatched on the 1st November,--so that, at this time, Caldigate's mind was accustomed to the burden of the idea. From that day to this he had not often spoken of the matter to Robert Bolton,--nor indeed had there been much conversation between them on other matters. Robert had asked him two or three times whether he had received any reply by the wires. No such message had come; and of course he answered his brother-in-law's questions accordingly;--but he had answered them almost with a look of offence. The attorney's manner and tone seemed to him to convey reproach; and he was determined that none of the Boltons should have the liberty to find fault with him. It had been suggested, some weeks since, before the baby was born, that an effort should be made to induce Mrs. Bolton to act as godmother. And, since that, among the names of many other relatives and friends, those of uncle Babington and Robert Bolton had been proposed. Hester had been particularly anxious that her brother should be asked, because,--as she so often said to her husband,--he had always been her firm friend in the matter of her marriage. But now, when the question was to be settled, John Caldigate shook his head. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. Is Hester married?
2. What month is it?
3. What time is it?
4. Where were they sitting?
5. Seated on what?
6. Who was the letter from?
7. When did it show up?
8. How many months after was the baby born?
9. Had Caldigate recently talked to Robert?
10. What's the relationship between Caldigate and Robert?
11. When were the telegrams sent?
12. Did anyone respond to them?
13. Did Caldigate answer the questions?
14. What was his job?
15. Who was suggested to be the godmother?
16. When?
17. And for godfather?
18. What's the relationship between Hester and Robert?
19. What's her husband's first name?
20. Did he nod?
Answer: 1. yes
2. January
3. morning
4. in their bedroom
5. by the side of her sofa
6. Mrs. Smith
7. the last day of October
8. nearly two months before
9. yes
10. brothers-in-law
11. 1st November
12. no
13. yes
14. attorney
15. Mrs. Bolton
16. some weeks before
17. uncle Babington and Robert Bolton
18. Robert is her brother
19. John
20. no

(CNN) -- Two former presidents reflected on their greatest regrets in office Monday, each looking back to issues that continue to plague the nation years later.

Former presidents and political rivals Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush now share philanthropic efforts.

Former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton appeared together at a question-and-answer forum before the National Automobile Dealers Association in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Asked his biggest regret after leaving office, Bush said he now wonders whether he should have tried to get Saddam Hussein to leave office at the end of the first Gulf War in 1991.

He told the gathering, "I've thought a lot about it, but at the end of Desert Storm, the question was should we have kind of kept going on that road to death and all this slaughter until Saddam Hussein showed up and laid his sword on the table, surrendered. And the common wisdom was he wouldn't do that."

But he said a conversation with an FBI agent who interrogated Saddam after he was captured has made him reconsider.

Bush recalled their talk, "I said, 'What if we just say he has to come to surrender, would he have done it?' And this guy said, 'I'm absolutely convinced he would have.' My experts tell me he wouldn't have."

Bush said, "We ended it the way we said we would" as a military success, but noted a cleaner ending "would have been perfect."

He added, "If we had tried to get Saddam Hussein to come and literally surrender and put his sword on the table, I think it might have been avoided some of the problems that we did have in the future from him." What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. How many presidents are working together?
2. Who?
3. Where did they appear?
4. For what organization?
5. When?
6. When was the first Gulf War?
7. What does Bush regret?
8. Has he thought about it much?
9. What was the war's nickname?
10. Who said Saddam would surrender?
Answer: 1. Two
2. Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush
3. New Orleans, Louisiana
4. National Automobile Dealers Association
5. Monday
6. 1991
7. he should have tried to get Saddam Hussein to leave office
8. Yes
9. Desert Storm
10. this guy

CHAPTER XXVII.

THE MEETING IN THE WOODS.

Ralph was so sore and stiff from his fall that he walked very slowly toward Westville. It seemed to him that he ached in every joint, and it was not long before he sought a soft grassy bank upon which to rest.

"If only somebody would come along with a wagon," he thought, as he gazed up and down the rather rough woodland road. "I would willingly pay a half-dollar for a lift, as much as I need my money."

The boy was much exercised over his mother. He knew that she would be greatly worried over his prolonged absence. Never before had he remained away from home over night.

No wagon or any other vehicle appeared, and Ralph was forced to resume his journey on foot, dragging his tired and bruised body along as best he could.

Presently he came to a tiny stream that flowed into Big Silver Lake. Here he stopped again, not only to rest, but also to bathe his temples and obtain a drink, for the water was both pure and cold.

He could not help but think of the strange manner in which he had been attacked. What had been the purpose of Martin and Toglet?

"If I did not know better, I would be almost forced to believe it was accidental," he thought. "But in that case they would have come to my assistance, instead of taking the sloop and hurrying off with her."

It was so comfortable a spot at the brook that Ralph rested there longer than he had originally intended. But at last he arose and moved on, thankful that he had accomplished at least one-third of the distance home. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. When was Ralph feeling bad?
2. Where was he walking to?
3. What did he hope would pass by?
4. How much would he be willing to spend for that?
5. How does his mom feel about him not being at his house?
6. Has he ever stayed out all night?
7. What body of water did he find?
8. Where did the stream flow?
9. Why did he stop there?
10. What body part did he bathe?
11. Did he do anything else there?
12. Was the water warm?
13. How many people witnessed his attack?
14. Who didn't help him?
15. How far has Ralph walked?
16. Was the road smooth or rough?
17. How long did Ralph stay at the brook?
18. Where did he ache?
19. Does he have lots of extra money?
20. Was his attack odd?
Answer:
1. When he sought a soft grassy bank
2. Westville
3. a wagon
4. half-dollar
5. greatly worried
6. Never
7. Lake
8. into Big Silver Lake
9. rest, but also to bathe
10. his temples
11. drink
12. no
13. lot of them
14. the onlookers
15. one-third of the distance home
16. rough
17. longer than he had originally intended
18. in every joint
19. no
20. yes