her arms. "Oh,
the darling itty wee sing!" she had exclaimed. And she had continued
to violate it ever since. When Gilbert teased her she laughed Sir
Oracle to scorn.

"He never had any children of his own, Gilbert--I am positive he hadn't
or he would never have written such rubbish. You just can't help
talking baby talk to a baby. It comes natural--and it's RIGHT. It
would be inhuman to talk to those tiny, soft, velvety little creatures
as we do to great big boys and girls. Babies want love and cuddling
and all the sweet baby talk they can get, and Little Jem is going to
have it, bless his dear itty heartums."

"But you're the worst I ever heard, Anne," protested Gilbert, who, not
being a mother but only a father, was not wholly convinced yet that Sir
Oracle was wrong. "I never heard anything like the way you talk to
that child."

"Very likely you never did. Go away--go away. Didn't I bring up three
pairs of Hammond twins before I was eleven? You and Sir Oracle are
nothing but cold-blooded theorists. Gilbert, JUST look at him! He's
smiling at me--he knows what we're talking about. And oo dest agwees
wif evy word muzzer says, don't oo, angel-lover?"

Gilbert put his arm about them. "Oh you mothers!" he said. "You
mothers! God knew what He was about when He made you."

So Little Jem was talked to and loved and cuddled; and he throve as
became a child of the house of dreams. Leslie was quite as foolish
over him as Anne was. When their work was done and Gilbert was out of
the way, they gave themselves over to shameless orgies of love-making
and ecstasies of adoration, such as that in which Owen Ford had
surprised them.

Leslie was the first to become aware of him. Even in the twilight
Anne could see the sudden whiteness that swept over her beautiful face,
blotting out the crimson of lip and cheeks.

Owen came forward, eagerly, blind for a moment to Anne.

"Leslie!" he said, holding out his hand. It was the first time he had
ever called her by her name; but the hand Leslie gave him was cold; and
she was very quiet all the evening, while Anne and Gilbert and Owen
laughed and talked together. Before his call ended she excused herself
and went upstairs. Owen's gay spirits flagged and he went away soon
after with a downcast air.

Gilbert looked at Anne.

"Anne, what are you up to? There's something going on that I don't
understand. The whole air here tonight has been charged with
electric