at such a rejection would
kill her. But for her work among the destitute and the neglected, Edith
would have shut herself up at home. Christian charity drew her forth
daily, and in offices of kindness and mercy she found a peace and rest
to which she would otherwise have been stranger.

She was on her way home one afternoon from a visit to the mission-school
where she had first heard of the poor baby in Grubb's court. All that
day thoughts of little Andy kept crowding into her mind. She could not
push aside his image as she saw it on Christmas, when he sat among the
children, his large eyes resting in such a wistful look upon her face.
Her eyes often grew dim and her heart full as she looked upon that
tender face, pictured for her as distinctly as if photographed to
natural sight.

"Oh my baby, my baby!" came almost audibly from her lips, in a burst
of irrepressible feeling, for ever since she had seen this child, the
thought of him linked itself with that of her lost baby.

Up to this time her father had carefully concealed his interview
with Mrs. Bray. He was in so much doubt as to the effect that woman's
communication might produce while yet the child was missing that he
deemed it best to maintain the strictest silence until it could be
found.

Walking along with heart and thought where they dwelt for so large a
part of her time, Edith, in turning a corner, came upon a woman who
stopped at sight of her as if suddenly fastened to the ground--stopped
only for an instant, like one surprised by an unexpected and unwelcome
encounter, and then made a motion to pass on. But Edith, partly from
memory and partly from intuition, recognized her nurse, and catching
fast hold of her, said in a low imperative voice, while a look of wild
excitement spread over her face,

"Where is my baby?"

The woman tried to shake her off, but Edith held her with a grasp that
could not be broken.

"For Heaven's sake," exclaimed the woman "let go of me! This is the
public street, and you'll have a crowd about us in a moment, and the
police with them."

But Edith kept fast hold of her.

"First tell me where I can find my baby," she answered.

"Come along," said the woman, moving as she spoke in the direction Edith
was going when they met. "If you want a row with the police, I don't."

Edith was close to her side, with her hand yet upon her and her voice in
her ears.

"My baby! Quick! Say! Where can I find my baby?"

"What do I kno