came from a side
street, and again of the feminine gender.

It was a tall, weird looking figure wound in a black shawl and it
bumped squarely into Whitney Barnes and brought him up sharply,
spinning on one foot.

Before he stopped spinning he felt himself seized by the arm.

Without warning a bundle was thrust into his arms and he had to clutch
it. In another instant the weird figure had fled up the avenue, turned
a corner and vanished.

Instantly the bundle that Whitney Barnes held awkwardly and painfully,
as if it were a firebrand, emitted an anguished wail.

If that wasn't a pretty pickle for Whitney Barnes! His cane had
clattered to the pavement and he did not dare stoop to pick it up. The
anguish from the bundle he held increased terrifically in volume. He
could feel beads of perspiration running down his face.

What in desperation was he going to do with that awful bundle? He knew
intuitively that the tall, shawled figure would never return.

"My God!" he cried, "I'll be arrested as the father of it, and what
will Sadie say to that?"

It was no wonder that the son and heir of Old Grim Barnes sweated. It
wasn't perspiration. One doesn't perspire in such awful straits--one
sweats, like a navvy.

It seemed ages before he could form the impulse to move in any
direction for any definite purpose. He was on the point of making up
his mind to lay the bundle on the doorstep when he sensed a heavy step
from behind and was paralyzed by the gruff ejaculation:

"Well, I'll be damned!"

Barnes twisted his head and beheld a big, deep-chested policeman--a
haughty domineering policeman--who showed in every inch of him that
the gods had anointed him above the mere ranks of mortal patrolmen.

"Take it! take it!" cried Barnes, extending the bundle toward the
uniformed presence. "It's not mine," he almost shrieked. "A woman gave
it to me--and I have a very important engagement and must hurry."

Sergeant McGinnis--for 'twas none other--drew back and waved the
bundle from him.

"Just a minute, my young friend," he spoke through one side of his
large mouth. "You'll hold that infant till its mother comes or you'll
go with me to the police station and tell your story to the captain."

"But I can't wait," wailed Barnes. "I've got to find a policeman."

"A policeman, eh? Well, here's one for you, and a sergeant at that."

"I mean a friend. It's horribly important. I'll give you anything you
ask if you'll only take this