athering dusk, she
saw a baby carriage being propelled along the roadway.

"Here we are!" cried a voice, which Azalea tried hard to make casual,
but which showed in its quality a trace of apprehension.

"Oh!" Patty cried, and without another word flew down the steps, and
fairly grabbed her baby.

The child was asleep, but Patty lifted her from the pillows and gazed
into the little face. Apparently there was nothing wrong, but the
golden head cuddled down on Patty's shoulder and the baby slept on.

"She's tired," vouchsafed Azalea, "but she's all right."

"Where have you been?" asked Farnsworth sternly, as he came out of the
front door.

"Just for a walk," said Azalea, trying to speak pertly, but quailing
before the accusing blue eyes fixed upon her.

Patty said no word to the girl, but holding Fleurette close, went at
once to the nursery with her.

"She's all right, Winnie, isn't she?" the mother asked, anxiously.

"Yes, ma'am,--I think so,--but she's a little too droopy for mere
sleepiness."

"Droopy! what do you mean?"

"It may be nothing,--Mrs. Farnsworth,--it may be only that she's tired
out and very sleepy,--but she acts a mite as if she'd been--"

"Been what? Speak out, Winnie! What do you mean?"

"Well,--she acts to me like a baby that's had something soothing--some
drops, you know."

"Something to make her sleep?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Oh, nonsense! Miss Thorpe couldn't give her anything like that! And why
would she? Don't you make any mistake, Winnie, Miss Thorpe adores this
baby!"

"I know it, she does, Mrs. Farnsworth, but all the same,--look at those
eyes, now."

Patty looked, but it seemed to her that the blue eyes drooped from
natural weariness, and assuring herself that no bones were broken or
out of place, she drew a long sigh of relief and told Winnie to put
Fleurette to bed as usual.

The nurse shook her head sagely, but said no more of her fears.

Patty returned to the porch where Farnsworth was still talking to
Azalea. Apparently he had scolded her sharply, for she was crying, and
that with Azalea Thorpe was a most unusual performance. She usually
resented reproof and talked back in no mild-mannered way. But now she
was subdued and even frightened of demeanour, and Patty knew that Bill
had done all that was necessary and further reproaches from her were not
needed.

"And another thing," Farnsworth was saying, "I want to know why you have
had no letters from your father since I