hed hysterically. It was
utterly ridiculous to think of the haste she had made to answer the
frantic summons of that bell!

Then, with an effort she controlled her merriment, and asked soberly,
"Was there anything you wanted?"

"No--that is--Hark! What is that noise? It sounds like a little baby
crying. That's the third time tonight I've heard it squall."

Miss Hays obediently strained her ears to listen. "It does sound like a
child, doesn't it?" she admitted, as the plaintive wail was repeated.
"Who can it be?"

"Seems as if it came from the other part of the building," said Peace,
peering across the moonlit court toward the windows of the opposite
wing.

"But there are no babies over there," the nurse objected. "Nearly all
the patients in that section are old men, and the nurses' rooms are on
the top floor."

"Well, that's where the crying comes from anyway," Peace insisted, as
another low, persistent wail rose on the midnight air. "Are you _sure_
there ain't _any_ babies over there?"

"None that I know of. I'll go investigate. It's queer that Miss Gee did
not mention it to me if any new patients were brought in there today."

Puzzled Miss Hays turned to go when Peace stopped her with an
imperative, "Wait! There's a nightcap sticking out of a topfloor window.
I guess it's going to holler."

"Nightcap? Where?" demanded the nurse, again staring out over the court
toward the other wing of the hospital.

"It looked like one, but it's gone in out of sight. O, I know I saw it.
There! What did I tell you!"

Peace was right. From an open window in the nurses' quarters a
white-capped head slowly protruded, followed by a huge pitcher. There
was a sound of splashing water, a startled caterwaul from the lawn
below, some excited spitting and scratching, and two black shapes
streaked across the court to the street. The wailing ceased. Silence
reigned.

"Cats!" exclaimed Miss Hays in disgust.

"Making that crying noise?" demanded incredulous Peace.

"Yes."

"Not babies at all?"

"No."

"Well, I'll--Say, that water splashed in through the window of the room
below. Listen to that man--swear! He's saying dreadful things! Can't you
hear him?"

"I must go," the nurse ejaculated, when a swift survey of the windows
opposite had proved that the child's observations were correct; but even
as she darted through the doorway, the buzzer in the hall whirred
viciously, and Peace heard her mutter, "My sakes! but the old g