o' eatables to put in
the dishes."

For the first time in her life Rilla Blythe touched a baby--lifted
it--rolled it in a blanket, trembling with nervousness lest she drop it
or--or--break it. Then she put it in the soup tureen.

"Is there any fear of it smothering?" she asked anxiously.

"Not much odds if it do," said Mrs. Conover.

Horrified Rilla loosened the blanket round the baby's face a little.
The mite had stopped crying and was blinking up at her. It had big dark
eyes in its ugly little face.

"Better not let the wind blow on it," admonished Mrs. Conover. "Take
its breath if it do."

Rilla wrapped the tattered little quilt around the soup tureen.

"Will you hand this to me after I get into the buggy, please?"

"Sure I will," said Mrs. Conover, getting up with a grunt.

And so it was that Rilla Blythe, who had driven to the Anderson house a
self-confessed hater of babies, drove away from it carrying one in a
soup tureen on her lap!

Rilla thought she would never get to Ingleside. In the soup tureen
there was an uncanny silence. In one way she was thankful the baby did
not cry but she wished it would give an occasional squeak to prove that
it was alive. Suppose it were smothered! Rilla dared not unwrap it to
see, lest the wind, which was now blowing a hurricane, should "take its
breath," whatever dreadful thing that might be. She was a thankful girl
when at last she reached harbour at Ingleside.

Rilla carried the soup tureen to the kitchen, and set it on the table
under Susan's eyes. Susan looked into the tureen and for once in her
life was so completely floored that she had not a word to say.

"What in the world is this?" asked the doctor, coming in.

Rilla poured out her story. "I just had to bring it, father," she
concluded. "I couldn't leave it there."

"What are you going to do with it?" asked the doctor coolly.

Rilla hadn't exactly expected this kind of question.

"We--we can keep it here for awhile--can't we--until something can be
arranged?" she stammered confusedly.

Dr. Blythe walked up and down the kitchen for a moment or two while the
baby stared at the white walls of the soup tureen and Susan showed
signs of returning animation.

Presently the doctor confronted Rilla.

"A young baby means a great deal of additional work and trouble in a
household, Rilla. Nan and Di are leaving for Redmond next week and
neither your mother nor Susan is able to assume so much extra care
under