Show Of i J 4 t. t P Pf J i 1 5 Y i e i. i I r i r. r V Io e J t J ouo o. o f 6 x j S L 1 r LA A A. MAN A WOMAN I I. I 9 AND A BABY i iBY i iBY BY C. C F. F MARTIN 4 4 b Copyright ht by Pub Co c He lIe was very small very plump and very pretty he ho was possessed of a somewhat philosophical turn of mind He spent most of his time lying in a soft sott bed In Jn a bright sunny nursery and h he was regularly given his dinner la to a warmed bottle The person who wa was most familiar to his wondering eyes was a dainty white clad white capped white capped girl who was always cheerful and happy It made the baby happy to look at her he be expressed ex pressed his pleasure by crowing in a language which he and the nurse seemed perfectly to understand 2 He was dimly aware that outside the narrow of ot his nursery there existed ex ex- existed isted a big noisy confusing world lIe He had received vague impressions concerning it during the brief hours which ho he usually passed outside on sunny afternoons On these occasions however the fresh air always put him to sleep so promptly that he had had but little opportunity to examine the strange things surrounding him Remotely connected with his inner life ute there appeared to be other personalities person than that of his nurse although al although al though he had never been able to satisfactorily sat satisfactorily analyze their relationship On rare occasions a man had made brief visits to the nursery He genS generally gen looked gravely at the baby for a short time asked a few calm questions questions ques ques- of ot the white capped nurse and went out The baby always felt much in awe of the man he never crowed when the man was present More frequently the baby had a visitor who In some respects resembled resembled bled his nurse except that she was much more beautiful and more dazzlingly dazzlingly daz- daz attired She often orten bent long over the bed and looked earnestly at atthe atthe atthe the baby Her tier face despite Its beauty never seemed happy like that of the nurse and she never talked in f the he language which the baby and the nurse nurse understood The baby's face always grew solemn 4 with wonder and expectation when the woman stood over him Somewhere in his being he felt a prompting to crow to her he somehow felt that it might bring a smile to her sad eyes but but he had never quite dared r 1 One day as the nurse was preparing his dinner the woman entered She ri i I i T t T Tit it 4 r hf Woman Knelt by the Little White Bed roy ro ro- was very pale and her beautiful eyes sh ete shadowy Itam A You may go out for an hour Liz Liz- I nort le she said I will give the baby his bottle to to day The nurses nurse's eyes opened wide with astonishment but she made no comment cornas com corn ment as she complied After the nurse had gone the woman knelt lt by the little white bed and mystified mys mys- tided the bab baby beyond measure by b bursting into tears For a time she sobbed uncontrollably while the baby forgot his bottle in his wonder When hen she grew calmer she poured I out her heart to the baby He seemed I It t to understand and she had no other I Ico confidant co She told him many things I of neglect neglect misunderstandings and heartbreaks Finally she ceased talking talking talk talk- ing and sat motionless her dark eyes gazing absently out of ot the window The The door opened softly and the w woman man started to her feet when she s the man a quick flush sprang to 4 her cheeks I 1 beg your pardon he said In Instinctively n n- n lowering his eyes I did didn n not ot mean to toy intrude intrude P did I-did did not know in were you y ou I 5 have been giving the ba baby y his bottle bottle she sno stammered conscious of her bet tearstained tear ear face Dont let me you away she continued as 1 fie he e half turned half toward the door Did you come ome to to see the baby I didn't know you you- E Ever er came lo to see him hb he h sup sup- i as she hesitated Yes I IP Ime P In jn now and then to see how howo howk come me k o getting along Lizzie Is ather he Is r. r e to haV e care of or a hi baby by ung ng O Don Don't Do t t you think he Is a little pale she asked L tadaY t day to-day r ff f- f S j f I I 1 L The man studied the baby gravely for a moment It seems to me he does look a bit under the weather he said judicially I wonder if ho ha gels gets enough to eat The baby emboldened by the contents con contents tents of ot his bottle and somewhat reas rena reassured by the tho attention he was receiving receiving re reo gave a little gurgle followed by the best crow he was capable of producing Then he smiled cordially at the two grave faces above him confident con confident that they would understand that he was ready to accept overtures for his favor The womans woman's eyes lighted up she looked at the man He met her gaze for a moment and glanced away Queer how thoroughly his eyes are like yours he said sald with an effort at common commonplaceness common And his mouth and nose are cas of yours She stooped Impulsive Impulsively ly and kissed the baby's tiny mouth Looking up she caught the mans man's eye and something she saw there brought the rosy flush back to her cheek Its been a long time he said slowly since Yes a long time she murmured as if phrases did not have to be completed completed com com- to be understood Ever since since since- he began and stopped again Since that night in the conservatory conservatory conserva tory she mused when you saw Cousin Tom Tom Tom- What do you mean 1 he interrupted interrupt ed quickly Do you mean It wasn't Dick Challoner that kissed you He has never done such a thing in his life lite she exclaimed Oh Mary Iary he cried with a rush ol of understanding why didn't you tell me it was Tom 1 Because you never asked me she replied you chose to put your own construction on things and to treat me coldly and to act horrid with with with- But her speech was never finished and the baby squealed with delight at seeing such demonstrations from this enigmatical man When the nurse came In a a. few mo moments moments moments ments later she found that the mar mat marand marand and the woman had learned the Ian lan language guage of ot the baby so well weB that al althree althree althree three were holding an animated con conversation and the subject of it al' al seemed to be the baby Lizzie said the woman whose eyes were shining hereafter I wil wi give the baby his bottle every day al at althis althis this hour |