SHORT STORY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13450, 29 May 1907, Page 10

SHORT STORY.

LOVE REIGNS SUPREME. Ladt Mab ran lightly down the steps, and got into the smart electric cab waiting for her. Tho man evidently had ;; his orders, for he started away immediately. . ' As the cab started, s Lady Mab leant forward suddenly and murmured: "Good-bye, my "baby; shall I ever see yon again?" Then she leant backhand : thought of the man. to whom she was ; gomg, away from her home and little boy and her husband, who. had made her so unhappy. ,It never seemed to strike her that perhaps she had made him: unhappy too, arid that she was doing a very wicked thing in leaving her home. '■ Her one thought was to get away .somewhere whero she would be happy, and where someone would think of her as well as themselves— Roy would do all of these things. • / / / She shut her eyes and lightly clasped her hands in her lap and snuggled into the soft cushions of the cab.: Suddenly she ; startedwhat was that? surely a baby's hand had touched her own! Yet there was no one in the cab with her, only thero seemed to be a peculiar haze in front of her. She leant back "again and closed her eyes, and gave herself .up to pleasing thoughts. There it was again! A timid, gentle touch. ,: The touch that is. unmistakable when once you have felt a baby's hand hold your own! v • . "Oh!" cried Lady Mab. "What is it? Is anyone sitting in front of me?" . And a little baby voice replied: "Yes, Lady Mab, I am sitting in front of you." ■' ' • ■ "Heavens!" she cried, for sure: enough, sitting on the seat facing, her, was a little boy. Such a curly-headed little baby, with bright blue eyes and a divine, mouth. Yet the strange thing was, he had nothing but a bit of silk draped round him and a quiver of arrows slung ovor one shoulder.!- /;. ~" You must bo cold, dear," she said, and took him on to her lap and wrapped, her cloak round him, " '; • • ' "Do yon like babies?" he asked. "Yes, I love them very dearly," she said. ' ' '" Do you? Then why are you leaving yours alone so late at night?" Lady Mab was too surprised to answer. The baby went on : "You know, he isn't a bit happy with his nurse. ■'-What is he ' like— littleboy, I mean?" . "Ho is such a dear little thing, and I am so fond of him." She took everything for granted, and wondered how this strange child should know all about her and tho boy. She seemed to have forgotten, too, 'that she would never see her baby again.'* " " "Don't you hato, to leave him at .homo at nights when you are out onjoying>yourself?" ■- • : ■■ ' ' -' "I ' have never seriously thought about that," she said. ■ «• "Babies get so lonely,, you know; they want such a ' great deal. of love. Especially mother's love. There's really nothing like if in all the world." : / ■ • '('■"' . Lady Mab only held him closer, and 'slowly,: slowly, ./the tears ran down her face. ' s • * . ' '.' . "Are you sure babies can't do/without a mother's love?" * , _ : , ; - . ■'Weil,- they, can do without :it, but they don't,make such good men and women, and they /never -know;, how ,to -: love : properly themselves /when their mothers haven't' loved them." , , . *

.:* Then she understood: what a terrible thing she had almost done. She had nearly left her, little baby alone will its nurse ■ anal with; its father (whom' Lady Mab thought hated her baby ; and herself).; Its father, who 'was a stern, unrelenting, man, as" she believed, "arid, who,; when he found she had gone,.;, would surely,- have turned oil that • dear, helpless -little ; thing in his rage; and hated it more than ever! ' ' ' *' "Oh, /my baby, my ; baby," she murmured. ■ ■ , ■ ■ ...Andthis, time Cupid, for, of course, ; it was he, put his arms round her neck, and nestled -.■ up to her, for did be not understand? Of course, and he bad como to save her and the. little boy, who was so very like himself. ;* , : The cab<stopped, and'a:man opened tho ■door. ■■:-*■ ;':S>:;" 'T* '■' r-*-:*-*"*"" ~--*<-»— •*•-■- -« ;•>.. , : ; '" At last, . dearest; T thought you were never coming!" he said. ' ' -\ VRoy,".she cried, ;,"get in. I must talk to you." And she- hid Cupid under her ,ek>ak.. •.. _ . ; {; . ' ■ . . • ■''_ Roy got in t and;. sat ' next -. her, and put his arm round her shoulders.'■"■,■■■ "What is it, dear?" he asked. The cab had started again., „ * ■ :■;" I cannot i come with you, Roy," ' she said. ;." I can't leave"my baby to the mercy of that man, who, although he has been so. cruel to mo, is still ■■ its father." ■ ■ • "■■ Cupid edged himself higher up in her arms, and - his head came uncovered, but Roy did not see him; he' only saw the woman's eyc3, tear-drowned and full of longing,t which he mistook for : love * lor \ himself! It, was mother love, really, you know.* .'..■■ '_•_ <-■ ■■. '• . " ••'".■' "You are not' in earnest?" he said; " after all our plans and 1 all that- you- have promised me. You said Phil didn't matter; he must manage as best he could with his nurses, tiresome little brat!" He broke 'off here, for Cupid had softly touched his arm. - * ■' " " What was thai?" Roy exclaimed, half starting up. " I thought I felt— was I -saying? Ah, no!; Poor little kiddie, ; I must not say that—tiresome! ' No,, no, only"again that gentle, clinging touch—• "only a- very dear, helpless little baby, eh, dear? A baby that : must have its mother at all costs; isn't that it, Mab?" Such is the power of Cupid's touch! "Yes," murmured Mab. A' baby that must have its mother. Oh, Roy, will you ever forgive me? I must go back, back to my little. Phil, and perhaps my husband will love me once again, as he used to do. Ah, my. dear, forgive me for-the pain I have caused you. But I know you understand me, even now." ' ■ ' /■'■"■' t "Even now!" he answered. "I hadn't really thought about the little one. There is one thing I would ask—let me-see the kiddie sometimes, will you?" And she • promised that perhaps she would, though v she never - did. - ■ '. She drovo Roy back to his flat and then home, and Cupid put his arms round her neck and this time kissed ■ her. .. . " Another victory !" criedhe. ' All the way back home Mab thought hard, and Cupid sat wide-eyed and watched the thoughts flitting through her brain; for the little god can see all we think, and sometimes he smiled, and once he frowned, and then he laughed outright, for she had decided she had never really loved Roy. The only beings she did love were her baby and her husband. The cab stopped, and Mab started, for she bad not thought • they could have arrived yet. She looked for the little Cupid, but he bad disappeared L<

Lady v Mab alighted from the cab and flew up the steps and through the hall, past the astonished servants, and up the stairs, straight to the night nursery. She pushed open the door, and then paused, breathless, and stood watching • a scene' that was entirely new to -her. : , In front of the fire sat hjr husband, and in his' arms was a curly-headed little boy, smiling into the ' man's s face. ''•'. The man was humming a lullaby to the baby, who held one of his father's fingers in a tight clasp. Where was the stern, hard father? ' " Daddy, when will my lovely mum bo back?" asked Phil. . <.r <<

" Soon, little man—-try to go to sleep." The stern, cold voice, where was it now? Gone. - Only a soft, tender voice had taken its place. . . ". ", '." Lady Mab clutched at the doorpost for support, as she realised, that all her trouble had been of her own making. . H A' small -boy ■ with a quiver over one shoulder was hovering about the pair by the fire," but they did not seem to see him. "Does 'oo love my lovely mum?" asked the baby. . " Yes,_ my boy," said the man.. '' I wish she would turn soon,, I want 'oo bofe here ~'" now," complained Phil again. Lady Mab never knew how or why she did it, but when her boy said that .she just went over to them, and put her arms round her husband's neck, and kissed- him, and then the* baby. The latter went to sleep almost at once, having got what he most wanted. \ ->' '

"Dear," she said, "how good of you to come up here and look after Phil. I didn't know you cared,for babies!" ■..".," love this".'one very dearly," he said. I've often been up here while you've been out enjoying yourself, but he's always been asleep until to-night." ..'-•" , Cupid, still standing in the room, sprang on to the man's shoulder, and, leaning down, kissed both him and Lady Mab, and then gave a very tender on© to the baby, Phil. Then ho vanished, for he had set the seal on his victory. "

1 "Do you know, Mab, I had alwat» thought you didn't really ear© for the . boy? vWe have been misunderstanding each other for a very, long time, it seems,' said Phil's father suddenly. r ' \ And be was right, ; for they had misunderstood ' each other. - That night'Lady'Mab told her husband everything, and they were '.. very happy, for she* had loved him 'very, dearly indeed, and continued to do soAnd Cupid? How glad Ire was, for had he not made three people happy again ? Many were the people who loved Lady Mab, but none loved her so well as her husband and her son and one other— • The latter declared that he would neve* love another, but Cupid had other view* with regard to the disposal of his heart. Ladv Mab has .taught Phil to reverence the little god of love, and the boy . never sees a stone image of Cupid without shyly raising his hat. _ "When asked why, he says;: : \ „' "'He made mv mother ; very, very happy, and saved her from doing something wrong. He must be a very groat and good little god, don't you think?" So he is, Phil; and it would be bettei for the world if everyone thought him good and understood him as well as you do. It is to be hoped you will keep your good opinion of him as you grow up.—> M. A. Wool!:, in M.A.P.