eep, so that I dared not move.

Then I heard the key in the latch, in the hallway outside, and she
rushed in, casting her hat upon the bed. A second later she was
kneeling at my side, weeping and yet glad, glad that he was living, glad
to be again near him. And I dared only whisper a word of welcome to her,
lest he might awaken. But soon he opened his eyes, that were very red,
and blinked in the faint light, and wanted her.

So he was taken from my arms into hers, and she sat with him in a
rocking chair. For some minutes I stood up before her, in my clumsy way,
looking at her. I could do so to my heart's content, for her eyes were
only for Baby Paul. She rocked him, gently, and her wonderful voice
came, sweet and low like the murmur of brooks, the distant song of
birds, the sighing of aspens in a summer night's scented breeze. And so
the baby slept again, secure and comforted in her dear arms.

Then she looked at me, and a smile came to her face. It is possible that
her quick glance detected some slight rumpling of collar and tie, or
some disorder of hair I had last brushed the day before.

"David dear, have you been up all night with him?" she asked.

"Yes, but Miss Follansbee took care of him. I knew I would be perfectly
useless, but then, Baby Paul is Baby Paul, you see, and--and any one has
the right to love a baby. You don't object to that, I'm sure, you--you
like to have me love him, don't you?"

"I just love to see you so fond of him, Dave," she answered.

"Yes, I felt that you did. And that's why I stayed, because I knew you
wouldn't mind. And now I'll go away and--and come back early this
evening to find out how you both are and--and I won't bother you. You'll
tell me if I do, won't you?"

"Of course, Dave, as soon as you grow troublesome, I'll let you know. I
will tell you, when I become tired of you. Oh, Dave dear! You're the
kindest and most lovable creature in the world, and--and it's a joy and
a blessing to have you near!"

"I'm awfully glad," I told her, "because when I can't see you and Baby
Paul, life isn't--it isn't much of a pleasure, you know. And so I'll go
off now and have a bath and fix up a little and then----"

"Then you ought to lie down and have a good nap, because you need a
rest, and don't come back too soon or I'll know you have been
disobedient, Dave."

She was smiling at me, and yet there was a tear hanging on her long
lashes. Surely, the emotion of that summoning and of the h