the opposite door. The shrieks and denunciations that
he met from this direction were more disconcerting than those of
the Irish father. For an instant he stood in the centre of the room,
wavering as to which side to surrender himself.

The thunderous tones of the enraged father drew nearer; he threw himself
on the floor and attempted to roll under the bed; the space between the
railing and the floor was far too narrow. Why had he disregarded Aggie's
advice as to diet? The knob of the door handle was turning--he vaulted
into the bed and drew the covers over his head just as O'Flarety,
trembling with excitement, and pursued by Maggie, burst into the room.

"Lave go of me," cried O'Flarety to Maggie, who clung to his arm in a
vain effort to soothe him, and flinging her off, he made straight for
the bed.

"Ah," he cried, gazing with dilated nostrils at the trembling object
beneath the covers, "there you are, mum," and he shook his fist above
what he believed to be the cowardly Mrs. Hardy. "'Tis well ye may cover
up your head," said he, "for shame on yez! Me wife may take in washing,
but when I comes home at night I wants me kids, and I'll be after havin'
'em too. Where ar' they?" he demanded. Then getting no response from the
agitated covers, he glanced wildly about the room. "Glory be to God!"
he exclaimed as his eyes fell on the crib; but he stopped short in
astonishment, when upon peering into it, he found not one, or two, but
three "barren."

"They're child stalers, that's what they are," he declared to Maggie,
as he snatched Bridget and Norah to his no doubt comforting breast. "Me
little Biddy," he crooned over his much coveted possession. "Me little
Norah," he added fondly, looking down at his second. The thought of his
narrow escape from losing these irreplaceable treasures rekindled
his wrath. Again he strode toward the bed and looked down at the now
semi-quiet comforter.

"The black heart of ye, mum," he roared, then ordering Maggie to give
back "every penny of that shameless creetur's money" he turned toward
the door.

So intense had been O'Flarety's excitement and so engrossed was he in
his denunciation that he had failed to see the wild-eyed Italian woman
rushing toward him from the opposite door.

"You, you!" cried the frenzied woman and, to O'Flarety's astonishment,
she laid two strong hands upon his arm and drew him round until he faced
her. "Where are you going with my baby?" she asked, then peerin