er eyes were always growing bigger, her cheeks pinker,
her skin fairer, her hair longer and more softly curling. At first
thought Kate had been inclined to snatch off the dress and change to
one of the cheap, ready-made ginghams Henry brought, but the baby was
so lovely as she was, she had not the heart to spoil the picture, while
Nancy Ellen might come any minute. So she began putting things in
place while Little Poll sat crowing and trying to pick up a sunbeam
that fell across her tray. Her father came to the door and stood
looking at her. Suddenly he dropped in a chair, covered his face with
his hands and began to cry, in deep, shuddering sobs. Kate stood still
in wonderment. As last she seated herself before him and said gently:
"Won't you tell me about it, Henry?"

Henry struggled for self-control. He looked at the baby longingly.
Finally he said: "It's pretty tough to give up a baby like that, Mrs.
Holt. She's my little girl. I wish God had struck my right hand with
palsy, when I went to sign those papers."

"Oh, no, you don't, Henry," said Kate, suavely. "You wouldn't like to
live the rest of your life a cripple. And is it any worse for me to
have your girl in spite of the real desires and dictates of your heart,
than it was for you to have mine? And you didn't take the intelligent
care of my girl that I'm taking of yours, either. A doctor and a
little right treatment at the proper time would have saved Polly to
rear her own baby; but there's no use to go into that. I was waiting
for Polly to come home of her own accord, as she left it; and while I
waited, a poison crept into her system that took her. I never shall
feel right about it; neither shall you--"

"No, I should say I won't!" said Henry emphatically. "I never thought
of anything being the matter with Polly that wouldn't be all over when
the baby came--"

"I know you didn't, Henry," said Kate. "I know how much you would have
done, and how gladly, if you had known. There is no use going into
that, we are both very much to blame; we must take our punishment. Now
what is this I hear about your having been to see lawyers and trying to
find a way to set aside the adoption papers you signed? Let's have a
talk, and see what we can arrive at. Tell me all about it."

So Henry told Kate how he had loved Polly, how he felt guilty of her
death, how he longed for and wanted her baby, how he had signed the
paper which Polly put before him so u