--Lydia--but nobody told 'Stashie to go! It must have been
an inspiration. I thought of course my messenger--I was expecting you
every instant. She's been crouching out here in the hall all night, not
venturing even to ask a question, until I caught sight of her eyes--she
loves Lydia too! I told her then the baby had come and that her mistress
had no chance unless you were here. She must have--when did she--"

Rankin gave a sound like a sob, and leaned against the wall. He had not
stirred before since the doctor's first words. "You don't mean there's
_hope_?" he whispered, "any hope at all?"

The doctor sprang at him and clapped his hand over his mouth. "I didn't
say it! I didn't say it!"

The door behind them opened, and the nurse stepped out with a noiseless
briskness. The doctor walked toward her steadily and listened to her
quick, low-toned report. Then he nodded, and she stepped back into the
bedroom and shut the door. He stood staring at the floor, one hand at
his lips.

Rankin made an inarticulate murmur of appeal. His face glared white
through the obscurity of the hall.

The older man went back to him, and looked up earnestly into his eyes.
"Yes; there's every hope," he said. He added, with a brave smile: "For
you and Lydia there's every hope in the world. For me, there's the usual
lot of fathers."

CHAPTER XXXVI

ANOTHER DAY BEGINS

They started. From below came a wail of fright. As they listened the
sound came nearer and nearer. "That's Ariadne--a bad dream--get her
quiet, for the Lord's sake."

"Where is she sleeping?"

"In the room next the parlor."

Rankin gave an exclamation, and leaped down the stairs. At the foot he
was met by a little figure in sleeping-drawers. "Favver! Favver!" she
sobbed, holding up her arms.

Rankin caught her up and held her close. "You promised you wouldn't get
so afraid of dreams, little daughter," he said in a low, tender voice of
reproach.

"But this was a nawful one!" wept Ariadne. "I fought I heard a lot of
voices, men's and ladies' as mad--Oh! awful mad--and loud!" She went on
incoherently that she had been too frightened to stir, even though after
a while she dreamed that the front door slammed and they all went away.
But then she was _too_ frightened, and came out to find Favver.

Rankin took her back to her bed, and sat down beside it, keeping one big
hand about the trembling child's cold little fingers. "It was only a bad
dream, Ariadne. Just g