eve they're generally glad to board out
children if they can."

"Well, he's a healthy child. Oh! I don't know anything that made me so
full as to hear that poor girl had slipped away like that. I didn't get
over it for some days. You remember the last time I saw you, I was
intending to go and see her."

"Yes, we were all making plans," said Anne.

"Here's Mrs Crowther," said the farmer. "Come to see the baby, too, I
expect. I'll just go and see how the sows is doing," he said,
approaching the door.

"Well, Mr and Mrs Hankworth, I didn't expect to see you here," said Mrs
Crowther, coming in. "I came to see how the baby was getting on. Eh, how
they _do_ get hold of you, don't they, little things. I _must_ have him
a minute," she said, taking him from Mrs Hankworth's knee. "No, you're
not the first baby I've had hold of," she added to the little creature,
who twisted about with protesting noises. She smacked its soft thighs,
and held its warm head against her cheek. "I'm right down silly over a
baby!" she exclaimed, laying it back on Mrs Hankworth's knee.

"We can't have any more of our own," said the latter, "we have to make
the best of other people's."

Anne took a tissue-paper parcel from the shelf, and opening it, showed a
blue cashmere smock with a ribbon.

"I was so pleased," she said. "Mrs Phillipson's eldest girl that's to be
married next month brought it in yesterday. It shows how you misjudge
people. When I went to see them, they seemed so hard upon poor Jane. But
she brought that pretty frock she'd made herself for the baby. She's a
good-looking girl, and she'll make a good wife."

"You think on these things at such a time," said Mrs Hankworth. "All
kinds o' little things you never thought of before come into your mind
when you're going to be married. But it was nice of her. I shall think
better of that girl after this."

"That sounds like Mary," said Anne, looking round the open door. "Yes it
is. Come in, Mary. You'll find some friends here."

Mrs Hankworth laughed uproariously. "The baby's holding a reception,"
she said, her huge form shaking.

"It's Mrs Hankworth, I know," said Mary.

"And Mrs Crowther," interposed the latter herself; "we're making sillies
of ourselves over the baby. Here, sit down and take him, Mary."

She set Mary in the chair which she had vacated, and laid the baby on
her knees carefully placing the blind woman's hands over the little
body.

"There's not much of him," sa