e apron. "It's down in
the carriage. Could I have a little boiling water to heat it, if you
please?"

"Assuredly," said the Princess. "Ellis, will you get the--the bottle
from the baby's carriage and some boiling water, please. Do you mix it
here?"

"Mix--the food is all prepared, madam." Delia spoke with repressed
scorn. "I only want to heat it for him."

"Oh, in that case, Ellis, take it down and have it heated, or," as the
nurse half rose, "perhaps you would feel better about it if you attended
to it yourself?"

"Yes, I think I will go down if you don't mind--when persons aren't used
to 'em they're apt to be a little careless, and I wouldn't have it break
and him losing his three o'clock bottle, for the world. You know how it
is."

The Princess shook her head whimsically. "But surely you will leave the
baby," and she moved toward them again. "I will hold it," with a half
grimace at her own condescension. "It seems so very good and cheerful--I
thought they cried. Will it come to me?"

Delia loosened her arms, but tightened them again as the little creature
leaned forward to catch at the swinging lace on the lady's gown.

"I--I think I'll take baby with me. Thank you just the same, and he'll
go to any one--yes, indeed--but I feel sort of nervous, I think I'd
better take him. If anything should happen.... Wave your hand good-bye,
now, General!"

The General flapped his arms violently, and bestowed a toothless but
affectionate grin upon the wearer of the fascinating, swaying lace,
before he disappeared with the delighted Ellis in the van.

"And can you buy all that devotion for twenty, thirty, or is it forty
dollars a month, I wonder?" mused the Princess. "Dear me," she added,
petulantly. "It really makes one actually _want_ to hold it! It seems a
jolly little rat--they're not all like that, are they? They howl, I'm
sure."

Again Miss Honey took the floor.

"When babies are sick or you don't treat them right," she announced
didactically, "they cry, but not a well baby, Delia says. I"--with
conscious pride--"screamed night and day for two weeks!"

"Really!" observed the Princess. "That must have been--er--trying for
your family!"

"Worried to death!" Miss Honey rejoined airily, with such an adult
intonation that the Princess started.

"The General, he just laughs all the time," Caroline volunteered,
"unless you tease him," she added guiltily, "and then he squawks."

"Yes, indeed," Miss Honey bore witn