h a look as if she would devour
it with love. Afraid to touch him, lest he should wake, she caught the
folds of his dress in her hand with a strength that strained its sinews,
as if she were afraid he would be snatched away from her.

Noel, who had expected every moment that she would turn, had now ceased
to look for it. She was evidently unconscious of everything, herself
included, except the child. As she bent her head above it, never taking
her eyes from its wan little countenance, the look of hungry love that
came to her was stronger than any look he had ever seen expressed upon a
face before. Presently, as if unable to resist the impulse, she took one
of the little hands, blue-white for lack of blood, and held it in her
own. He could divine the fact that it cost her an effort not to squeeze
it hard. Her eyes fastened on it hungrily, and then looked into the
pinched little face. Evidently this sleep was something coveted, for she
made these slight movements with the utmost caution, and did not venture
to change her constrained position. And as she so watched the baby,
Noel, keeping as profoundly still, watched her. He saw that her plain,
gray costume, charmingly fashioned as it was, was yet somewhat worn and
shabby, as if from over-long usage; that her round straw hat was shabby,
too, and one of her little boots, cut and finished in such a pretty,
foreign fashion, had a small hole in it. The long glove on her left
hand was ripped at the finger-ends. The right hand was bare, and looked
very strong and healthy as it held the little feeble one. With her other
hand she was holding a fan between her child's eyes and the sun. She had
never ceased a little rocking motion of the knee. Oh, if she could only
keep him asleep! her whole attitude and motion seemed to say. Now and
then she uttered low, hushing sounds as a pang of pain would contract
the baby's face, and threaten to waken him. These little noises came to
Noel faintly, and he felt himself sharing with her this intense desire
to keep the child asleep. Suddenly, above the soothing monotone of the
vessel's motion, there was a sharp steam-whistle. Christine gave a
little smothered cry, and the next instant burst into tears. It was too
much for her over-strung nerves. At the same moment the baby waked and
began to cry weakly. The sound recalled her to herself and she took the
little creature in her arms and rocked and hushed it, at the same time
fighting with her own sob