difficulties. Elizabeth was not yet analytical enough to reason
out that because of the presence of that company far less demand had been
made upon her by her husband. She thought that they were really getting on
better than they had done, and told herself happily that it must be
because she was more rested than she had been and was therefore not so
annoyed by small things. It was ever Elizabeth's way to look for blame in
herself. The baby was a great source of pleasure also. He was a good child
and slept in the most healthy fashion, though beginning now when awake to
look about him a little and try to associate himself with his
surroundings. Elizabeth had begun to look forward to Silas's first visit
with the child. Silas had quaint ways with the young, and it was with very
real pleasure that she dragged herself to the door and admitted him the
first week she was out of bed. Elizabeth led the old man to the lounge on
tiptoe.

"I want you to see him, Mr. Chamberlain; you and he are to be great
friends," she said as she went down on her knees and drew the white shawl
reverently from the sleeping face. "Isn't he a fine, big fellow?" she
asked, looking up at the old man.

"'E ought t' be, havin' you for his mother," Silas said with an attempt at
being witty, and looking at the baby shyly.

The baby roused a little, and stretched and grunted, baby fashion.

"Lordie! what good sleep they do have!" Silas said, holding out his finger
to the little red hand extended toward him, and then withdrawing it
suddenly. "Now, Liza Ann sleeps just like that t' this day." He spoke
hesitatingly, as if searching for a topic of conversation. "She does 'er
work regular like, an' she sleeps as regular as she works. I often think
what a satisfyin' sort of life she leads, anyhow. She tends t' 'er own
business an' she don't tend t' nobody else's, an'--an'--she ain't got no
more on 'er mind 'n that there baby."

Elizabeth gathered the child into her arms and seated herself in a rocking
chair, while the old man sat stiffly down on the edge of the lounge and
continued:

"Now I ain't that way, you know. I have a most uncomfortable way of
gettin' mixed up in th' affairs of others."

"But it's always a friendly interest," Elizabeth interposed, mystified by
his curious manner and rambling conversation.

Silas crossed his knees and, clasping his hands about the uppermost one,
rocked back and forth on the edge of the lounge.

"Most allus," he ad