s
to be hungry so ples don't send this baby bak. Yours truly, Davy."

B'lindy, after reading the note aloud, stared at the baby.

"Sarah Hopkins' young 'un--I swan!" With her apron she wiped a tear
from her eye. "No one to do for it now."

Miss Sabrina snorted.

"Of all the nerve--bringing it here--for me to break my neck on!"

From above came Miss Milly's voice plaintively calling.

"Take it away. Milly's calling--she's got to know what the
excitement's about. I'll _never_ get over my fright," and Miss
Sabrina, still trembling, rose to go to her sister. The baby puckered
his face preparatory to a long wail. "Take it _out_," commanded Miss
Sabrina, "it's going to cry--_give_ it something quick."

B'lindy snatched the baby and flew to the kitchen. She could not bear
to think that any living thing in Happy House was hungry. However, the
threatened squall passed when B'lindy, after carefully shutting her
doors, produced a bowl and a shiny spoon.

It had not been alone Miss Sabrina's shriek that had frightened Miss
Milly. She had heard a rumble of thunder. She was lying back among
her pillows deadly pale. She clutched Miss Sabrina's hand and begged
her to stay with her.

"I know I'm foolish," she whispered plaintively, "but it's so
oppressive. It's hard--for me--to breathe."

Sabrina sat down grimly beside her--no thunder storm came to North Hero
that it did not bring unpleasant memories to them both.

"Is it--going to be--very bad?" Miss Milly asked plaintively. "I wish
Nancy--was home."

"Maybe it'll go around," assured her sister with as much tenderness as
she was capable of showing.

At that moment the door opened slowly and B'lindy, a strangely softened
look on her old face tip-toed in, carrying in her arms the baby, sound
asleep.

"I just brought it up for Miss Milly to see, it's that cute!" she
explained, in a whisper.

"The poor little thing," Aunt Milly timidly touched the moist chubby
hand. B'lindy, with the air of having accomplished some great feat,
laid the baby carefully upon the couch.

"Fed its _poor_ little stomick and it dropped right off to sleep--it'll
forget things now," she said proudly.

With a different feeling in each of their hearts the three women stared
for a moment at the sleeping baby. Miss Sabrina spoke first. Her
voice was cold and crisp.

"Take that baby right out of here, B'lindy, and get Jonathan to carry
it back where it came from."

A rumble of