ts. She learned the hours of the Albany boat, and often she laughed
at the tugs, they were so like pompous little men. She spoke to Bobs
about it one day.

"The river has just as individual a life as Broadway, and the boats are
so like people."

Bobs smiled at the idea.

"I'm glad you've got something to amuse you. You must be nearly wild
with this waiting."

"Oh, no. I have lots to mull over in my mind. I visited my neighbour
yesterday, and saw her new baby. Bobs, women don't realize yet what
Twilight Sleep is bringing to them. It is one of the biggest discoveries
of our age."

"How, Jane?"

"Don't you see what wide-reaching results it may have for us? If we are
relieved of the nervous shock and agony of birth, if the dread of this
ordeal is lessened, that alone is important. But it will mean everything
to the woman with a job, or the mother with other small children
dependent upon her care."

"You mean her escape from the shock and pain?"

"I mean that she gets up, in two or three days, in almost normal health,
instead of lying by for weeks."

"But your labouring woman gets up now in two or three days, doesn't
she?"

"Yes, but look at the results. Talk to the doctors at the free
dispensaries about what it does to them. I honestly believe that those
two German doctors in the Black Forest have done more to free women than
any other single agency of our times. I'm so glad to live now, Bobs, to
be part of this wonderful century, to take advantage of its big
experiments."

"Jane, the way you eat up the experiences of life is amazing to me!"

They both laughed at that, and veered off to Bobs's impressions of the
stable Jerry had rented. He had taken her over it, to help him in some
decisions.

"Bobs, the truth, now. Is it a wild mistake?"

"It's perfectly charming, but it looks a bit plutocratic from my humble
attic point of view."

"It will probably ruin him to keep it up."

"He has it all planned. I never knew Jerry to be so sane. He says he has
several portrait orders now, and more coming."

"Just when we wanted to get him away from portraits. Oh, Bobs, life gets
so complicated, and mixed up," mourned Jane.

"Don't I know that? You can't have babies for nothing in these days,
Jane. He must have known that."

"But he didn't want to have any. This is my baby, pure and simple, and I
really ought to pay for having it."

"You ridiculous person! I think you're paying your share. Jerry will be
mad a