nah
remonstrated with her at last.

"But, Billy, dear," she exclaimed, "one would almost get the idea that
you thought there wasn't a thing in the world but that baby!"

Billy laughed.

"Well, do you know, sometimes I 'most think there isn't," she retorted
unblushingly.

"Billy!" protested Aunt Hannah; then, a little severely, she demanded:
"And who was it that just last September was calling this same
only-object-in-the-world a third person in your home?"

"Third person, indeed! Aunt Hannah, did I? Did I really say such a
dreadful thing as that? But I didn't know, then, of course. I couldn't
know how perfectly wonderful a baby is, especially such a baby as
Bertram, Jr., is. Why, Aunt Hannah, that little thing knows a whole lot
already. He's known me for weeks; I know he has. And ages and ages ago
he began to give me little smiles when he saw me. They were smiles--real
smiles! Oh, yes, I know nurse said they weren't smiles at the first,"
admitted Billy, in answer to Aunt Hannah's doubting expression. "I know
nurse said it was only wind on his stomach. Think of it--wind on his
stomach! Just as if I didn't know the difference between my own baby's
smile and wind on his stomach! And you don't know how soon he began to
follow my moving finger with his eyes!"

"Yes, I tried that one day, I remember," observed Aunt Hannah demurely.
"I moved my finger. He looked at the ceiling--_fixedly_."

"Well, probably he _wanted_ to look at the ceiling, then," defended the
young mother, promptly. "I'm sure I wouldn't give a snap for a baby if
he didn't sometimes have a mind of his own, and exercise it!"

"Oh, Billy, Billy," laughed Aunt Hannah, with a shake of her head as
Billy turned away, chin uptilted.

By the time Bertram, Jr., was three months old, Billy was unmistakably
her old happy, merry self, strong and well. Affairs at the Strata once
more were moving as by clockwork--only this time it was a baby's hand
that set the clock, and that wound it, too.

Billy told her husband very earnestly that now they had entered upon a
period of Enormous Responsibility. The Life, Character, and Destiny of a
Human Soul was intrusted to their care, and they must be Wise, Faithful,
and Efficient. They must be at once Proud and Humble at this their Great
Opportunity. They must Observe, Learn, and Practice. First and foremost
in their eyes must always be this wonderful Important Trust.

Bertram laughed at first very heartily at Billy's in