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Show 1 Kittens for the 1 : ; Cat 0 -ft By CORONA REMINGTON ( r? (CoDyrlRbt.) ii'VT OW, there's a new tot we got ' only yesterday. Isn't she rweet? Excellent heredity, lovely disposition. dis-position. Grace, come here, darling, and shake hands with the gentleman." "Isn't she too sweet?" said Nurse Simpson, taking the child In her arms. "Now, why don't you adopt her, Mr. Kelllngton? I know if I were out fcaby shopping I'd choose ber out of a million." "Could we take her somewhere together? to-gether? I would like to get better acquainted with her. Suppose 1 call again this afternoon. Then you could go along, couldn't you, and watch over her." "Just a minute. I'll ask Miss Doughty." Nurse Simpson went in search of the matron and put the strange question ques-tion to her. "If he weren't on the board and euch a liberal contributor I'd say no. tWhat does he want with a baby any-."way? any-."way? The whole Idea is ridiculous a bachelor with a babyl" scoffed the matron. Of course, the whole thing was absurd, ab-surd, but what could they do? John Kelllngton practically maintained Tiny tTot Terrace, and, since he wa3 willing will-ing to spend his money on it, he was surely entitled to some consideration. When at lunch the other attendants leard that Miss Simpson was taking out another baby with Mr. Kellington, Kelling-ton, they all discussed the matter vigorously. vig-orously. "Why on earth he doesn't get a Job in the nursery I don't see," declared de-clared Miss Wilson. "I believe he'd ask for it if he weren't afraid of being ridiculed," answered an-swered Miss Simpson. "I never saw a man as crazy about children in all my life." "How old is he3" asked another. "Surely he can't be very old but he has a little gray at his temples." "He's not old and he isn't young," answered Mary Simpson, the Kelling-;ton Kelling-;ton authority by right of experience, because he had always called on her to accompany him on his visits through the nursery. "Miss Doughty was furious when I took her the message," the nurse went on as she straightened the perky little white cap on her curly head. "Don't you pay any attention to !ler," advised another of the girls, j "She's got a crush on Kellington and 'he doesn't even look at her. ! "He's awfully nice when you're out (with him," confessed Miss Simpson, i "Just sort of comfortable to be with him. Oh, dear, afraid I'm falling in love again," she ended with a sigh. j"Why can't I learn better sense and stop it!" Immediately after lunch she got lit-; lit-; tie Grace ready, then dressed herself land had hardly finished when Mr. Kelllngton appeared, carrying two toy balloons In one band and under the 'other arm a little stuffed woolly dog jwith a black spot over one eye. A .-- : shiver of sheer delight ran over Miss j j Simpson at the sight of him, he was f- SO splendid looking and so calm, and ' she felt sorry for a little sad look she often saw down deep in his eyes. The car was soon speeding along 1 and the draft coming in at the window tossed Grace's curls over her face in a riot of playfulness. Even Miss Simpson relaxed and threw her ' little felt hat on the back seat and igave herself up to the pleasure of the moment "What does Miss Doughty say about me?" Mr. Kellington asked sud-; sud-; denly as he turned the car into - shady cross road and slowed down a bit "Oh, why nothing.- She thinks you'd make a wonderful father for a baby." "Does she really believe I mean to adopt one?" he asked. "Why why yes. Don't you? 1 thought you did," answered the girl aghast "Mary, there are some things I've been wanting to tell you for a long time," he said, parking the car at the side of the road and fidgeting with his gold cigarette case. "I've been married once. I was very young and a darn fool 1 suppose, but anyhow I've always been crazy about children, and Louise wasn't Well, things went from bad to worse and finally we got a divorce on the grounds of incompatibility. incom-patibility. After that I decided I'd know how a girl stood on the subject of motherhood not by words only, but by actions as well, and it seemed to me that anyone who would devote her life to the care of homeless tots must be a mother at heart Then when I met you and fell In love, Mary, It seemed to me as if there might be a little happiness In life for me yet. How would you feel about marrying a divorcee who's crazy about children?" he asked, slipping a hand over hers and looking at her with the old sadness In the back of his eyes. "If the man were you, I'd feel pretty happy about it," smiled Miss Simpson without a hint of coquetry in her voice. Fortunately Baby Grace was too young to think it unconventional for a good-looking man to kiss a pretty little urse so she did not report to the authorities, but when it did get out Miss Doughty merely remarked as she turned back to her desk: "Well, I've heard of courting the cat for the kittens, but I've never hean of courting the kittens for tt rat be fore 1" t |