ot your fault. I suppose it is hard in a girl like you
to have a sister left on her hands, and I was only a kid when you had to
take me over and was lots of trouble to you. You have been good in your
way, and Kate, I want you to know when you are setting alone at night,
that I am just counting the days till you come back to me.

Yours,
_Nan_.

II

_Dear Kate_:

I didn't write you before cause I wanted to be able to tell you what we
are going to do about the kid. Jim was up and we talked it all over and
I said I would take him. I don't want none of Jim's friends to have him
cause he ain't no good, Kate, and I have always told you so. I made him
promise if I take Billy that he will leave him alone. I won't have him
hanging around and I don't want Billy to see nothing more of him than he
has to. I blame him for all that has come to you. Before you married him
and got in with his crowd, you was on the level, but--it ain't no use
kicking now, it is all done; only I want him to keep his hands off
Billy. There is a roomer on the floor below that has got a little girl
who will come in and kinda look after Billy when I am out. I can take
him out for a walk every day and perhaps I can get him in one of those
kids' schools for two or three hours in the afternoon.

Jim brought him up at night, and he was all sleepy and soft and warm and
cuddled up to me just like a little kitten. I never noticed before how
pretty he was, but I watched him as he lay there with his red lips half
open and his long black lashes laying on his cheeks and his hair all
curling around his face, and I just could not go to sleep for looking at
him. He is too pale, I think. Seems to me he ought to have more color in
his cheeks. I suppose it is cause he hasn't had enough outdoor exercise
that babies should have. Roomers should not have kids. It don't seem
just right to shut a baby up in four walls when he would like to run and
play outside with other young things. But I am going to do the best I
can by him, so don't you worry, he will be all right.

Jim is pretty sore about you getting pinched, and says he is going to
leave town. The crowd is kinda scared, and I think they are going to
scatter. Irene went to St. Louis the other day, cause she said the cops
are getting too familiar with her face. I told the whole bunch what I
thought of them, and that they had better clear out. Do you remember
Jenny Kerns? She was that little blond that use to