her in Mrs.
Tressady's bedroom, looking down at the sleeping Timmy. Timmy had taken
to bed with him a box of talcum powder wrapped in a towel, as a
"doddy." One fat, firm little hand still held the meaningless toy. He
was breathing heavily, evenly--his little forehead moist, his hair
clinging in tendrils about his face.

"No--of course we can't leave him!" said Miss Carter, heavily, as the
women went back to the living-room. She went frantically from window to
window. "It's stopped raining!" she announced.

"We'll laugh at this to-morrow," said Belle. They went to the door. A
shallow sheet of water, entering, crept in a great circle about their
very feet.

"Oh, no--it's not to be expected; it's too much!" Miss Carter cried.
Without an instant's hesitation she crossed the porch and splashed down
the invisible steps.

"I take as great a chance in going as you do in staying," she said,
with chattering teeth. "If--if it comes any higher, you'll swim for
it--won't you, Belle?"

"Oh, I'd try it with him as a last chance," Belle answered sturdily.
She held a lamp so that its light fell across the water. "That's right.
Keep headed that way!" she said.

"I'm all right!" Miss Carter's small head was bravely cleaving the
smooth dark water. "I'll run all the way and bring back help in no
time," she called back.

When the lamp no longer illumined her, Belle went into the house. The
door would not shut, but the water was not visibly higher. She went in
to Timmy's crib, knelt down beside him, and put her arms about his warm
little body.

Meanwhile Timmy's father and mother, at the hotel, were far from happy.
They stopped for a paper on their way to the opera on Thursday night;
and on their return, finding no later edition procurable, telephoned
one of the newspapers to ask whether there was anything in the reports
that the rivers were rising up round Emville. On Friday morning Jerry,
awakening, perceived his wife half-hidden in the great, rose-colored
window draperies, barefoot, still in her nightgown, and reading a paper.

"Jerry," said she, very quietly, "can we go home today? I'm worried.
Some of the Napa track has been washed away and they say the water's
being pushed back. Can we get the nine o'clock train?"

"But, darling, it must be eight now."

"I know it."

"Why not telephone to Belle, dear, and have them all come into Emville
if you like."

"Oh, Jerry--of course! I never thought of it." She flew to the
t