worse of
it. The coroner's sure to try to earn his fees. Good-night."

He hurried from the room.

"Stop!" shouted the master, "I say: I don't accept the child. You
leave it here at your own risk. We keep it without prejudice,
remember--without prejudice, sir!--without----"

Mr. Doll was in the street and out of hearing.

II.--A Board of Guardians.

The Guardians of St. Bartimeus met the day after Mr. Doll's clever
stratagem. Among other business was a report from the master of the
workhouse that a child, name unknown, found by Mr. Doll, cheesemonger,
of Nether Place, in the Parish of St. Simon Magus, opposite his shop,
and, as he alleged, on the nearer side of the parish boundary, had been
left at the workhouse, and was now in the custody of the matron. The
Guardians were not accustomed to restrain themselves, and did not
withhold the expression of their indignation upon this announcement. As
Mr. Doll had himself been a guardian of St. Simon Magus, it was clear
to their impartial minds that he was trying by a trick to foist a
bastard--perhaps his own--on the wrong parish.

Mr. Cheekey, a licensed victualler, moved that the master's report be
put under the table.

Mr. Slinkum, draper, seconded the motion.

Mr. Edge, ironmonger, pointed out that there was no parliamentary
precedent for such a disposition of the report, and, further, that such
action did not dispose of the baby.

"Well," said Mr. Cheekey, turning painfully red, "no matter how ye put
it, I move to get rid of the brat. What's the best form of motion?"

A churchwarden, who happened to be a gentleman, explained that the Board
could not dismiss the question in so summary a way. "He could foresee
that there might be a nice point of law in the case. They would have to
take some legal means of ascertaining their liabilities, and of forcing
the other parish to take the child if they ought to do so. They must
consult their solicitor." This gentleman was sent for post haste.
Meanwhile the baby was ordered to be brought in for inspection. The
matron had handed him over to a sort of half-witted inmate of the house,
whose wits, however, were strangely about him at the wrong time,
to nurse and amuse him. This person brought Ginx's Baby into the
Board-room, and placed him on the table. The Board of Guardians took a
good look at him. He was not then in fair condition. He was limp, he
was dirty, hollow in the cheeks, white, stiff in his limbs, and
half-na