a man who made much of them, and kissed them; and
they kissed him without asking her permission!

"I scarcely know what it is about," she said; "and my husband is not
here to help me."

"You have hit the very point, ma'am. You must take it on yourself. How
wonderfully clever the ladies always are! Your family is waiting for
a government supply; everybody knows that everybody in the world may
starve before government thinks of supplying supply. I do not belong to
the government--although if I had my deserts I should have done so--but
fully understanding them, I step in to anticipate their action. I see
that the children of a very noble officer, and his admirable wife, have
been neglected, through the rigor of the weather and condition of the
roads. I am a very large factor in the neighborhood, who make a good
thing out of all such cases. I step in; circumstances favor me; I
discover a good stroke of business; my very high character, though much
obscured by diffidence, secures me universal confidence. The little
dears take to me, and I to them. They feel themselves safe under my
protection from their most villainous enemies. They are pleased to kiss
a man of strength and spirit, who represents the government."

Mrs. Carroway scarcely understood a jot of this. Such a rush of words
made her weak brain go round, and she looked about vainly for her
children, who had gladly escaped upon the chance afforded. But she came
to the conclusion she was meant to come to--that this gentleman before
her was the government.

"I will do whatever I am told," she said, looking miserably round, as if
for anything to care about; "only I must count my children first, or the
government might say there was not the proper number."

"Of all points that is the very one that I would urge," Mordacks
answered, without dismay. "Molly, conduct this good lady to her room.
Light a good fire, as the Commissioners have ordered; warm the soup sent
from the arsenal last night, but be sure that you put no pepper in
it. The lady will go with you, and follow our directions. She sees the
importance of having all her faculties perfectly clear when we make
our schedule, as we shall do in a few hours' time, of all the children;
every one, with the date of their birth, and their Christian names,
which nobody knows so well as their own dear mother. Ah, how very sweet
it is to have so many of them; and to know the pride, the pleasure, the
delight, which the nation