mother, the child waked up I suppose. My
mother lives up stairs," she explained, "my father is a shoemaker."

The window was so low that a child might have looked in easily, so he
could overlook the whole room without difficulty.

"Stay," he whispered, holding Johanna's arm.

"O goodness! it is the young lady," she cried, "I hope she won't be
angry."

But Frank Linden did not reply. He saw only the slender girlish figure,
as she walked up and down with the crying child in her arms, talking to
him, dancing him till at last he stopped crying, looked solemnly in her
face for awhile and then began to crow.

"Now you see, you silly little goosie," sounded the clear girl's voice
in his ears, "you see who comes to take care of you when, you were
lying here all alone and all crumpled up, while your mother has to go
out from house to house through all the wind and rain;--you naughty
baby, you little rogue, do you know your name yet? Let's see.
Frank,--Frankie? O such a big boy! Now come here and don't cry a bit
more and you shall have on your warm little frock when your mother
comes." And she sat down before the stove and began to take off the
little red flannel frock.

[Illustration: "She sat down before the stove and began to take off the
little red flannel frock."]

"Ask if I may come in, Johanna," said Linden. And the next moment he
had entered behind the woman.

A flush of embarrassment came over the young girl's face, but she
frankly extended her hand. "I am glad to see you, Mr. Linden--mamma was
very sorry that she could not receive you this afternoon. You--"

He bowed. Then she belonged to one of the houses where he had called
to-day. But to which one?

"Do you know, I never knew till to-day that you were living in the
neighborhood," she continued brightly. "I was standing in our
bow-window when you came across the square, and saw you inquiring for
our house."

"Then I have the honor to see Miss Baumhagen?" he asked, somewhat
disturbed by this information.

"Gertrude Baumhagen," she replied. "Why do you look so surprised?"

With these words she took her cloak from the nearest chair, put a small
fur cap on her brown hair and took up her muff.

"I must go now, Johanna, but I will send the doctor to-morrow for the
baby. You must not let things go so,--you must take better care or else
he may have weak eyes all his life."

"Will you allow me to accompany you?" asked Linden, unable to take his
eyes off the