THE MAKING OF THE MATCH.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXII, Issue 9207, 10 March 1906, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE MAKING OF THE MATCH.

(ISy Mr> C X Williamson )

Emnuilinp took a long time.to brush away the crumbs'. Denis did not notice at first, because the first- notes of ' the duet for the third act of• his musical comedy were noathig in his head, "just beginning to tinkle,'' as he called it; but at Uist it did occur to him tluit no normal bit of bread could have made crumbs enough to engage a maid's attention for so many minutes. He looked up and caught fimmaline's wistful eye. f "Uh please, sir," she gasped, "do you think j'ou'll bo going out after dinner: "I'm sure I won't," he replied, with a glance at the piano, where lie meant to spend his evening. '"Oh," (Emmaline's sentences generally began with "oh," especially if she had to address the handsomest and most wonderful young gentleman she had' ever set eyes upon), "Oh, sir, and will you be wanting anytliing for about an hour mid a half?"

"Only to be left to myself. I'm going to be busy."

"Thank" you, sir, very much. But " '•Well, out with it, my good child. Is there something you want me to want?" "Oh, no, sir, not that. I don't think now it's come to it, I can. toll you " "Good gracious, you're not afraid of me, are you?" Denis looked so nice when he smiled that Emmaline twisted her hands and blushed for several seconds before she could speak • but at the end of she was able to stammeT that—that —theie was a great favor she would like to ask. Then, after catechising, Denis elicited the information that Master and Mistress had just gone out; they had had stalls given them for a theatre; but Denis need not have been told that ; he was the donor. They would not be back until half past eleven and linimaline had been left in charge of the house and the baby, and of Mr Blackmore, too. So far so good; but now came the part that was hard to tell. However, Emnmline blurted it out in desperation.

"Please, sir, it's this. I'm keeping company with a very nice young man ; -he's Irish and a sailor. I haven't seen him for six months. Now his ship's just come into Portsmouth, and he's sent a telegram. It came two minutes alter Master and Mistress was off, to say he'd got leave and would run up to London to-night on purpose for hall an hour with me. Only think of that, sir! But he lutsn't time to call here. Tnere's just thirty-five minutes between the train he'll come in on and the train he'll have to get back in. So he wants me to meet him at Waterloo for a chat." "Of course you must go. It would be a shame to disappoint him, and he Irish find a sailor," said Denis.

"Ah, but sir, that's the trouble. I do want to, but 'Mistress doesn't know " "I'M take the responsibility," broke in the young man, who was also Irish. "I'll look after the house, and see that it doesn't burn down or get burgled." "Thank you a thousand times, sir, but tlwre's the babv "

"Dash it, I forgot the baby!" exclaimed Denis, looking blank. "Can't you give it soothing syrup?" "Oh, it's not necessary, sir. She's fast asleep, the- little dear, and she's pretty sure not to wake up till Mistress is back; sho generally sleeps straight through from seven to eleven, like a lamb, and then she has her milk and goes off again." • "Like another lamb."

"Yes, sir. But there she. is, and though she'll make no trouble, it doesn't, seem the thing for a young gentleman to be left alone in the house with her."

"She's too young to'need a chaperono; I suppose, so you needn't bother, if you're sure she won't have a convulsion, or tho croup, until after you've come in," said Denis.

Emmalino was gratefully-sure; and having sworn to return by half-past nine, sho bore away what the accommodating lodger had left of the pudding, and thelast hd heard of her was a joyous clatter of heels on tho kitchen stairs.

"Thank goodness, if that doesn't wake tho. baby, my playing won't," Denis thought; but somehow he was not quite so impatient to get to the piano as he had fanciod he was going to be. .Tie pushed his chair back from the table (on which Emmaline had spread a green cloth and placed a howl of early daffodils) and walked over to the window, which lie loved because it was a Chelsea, window, and looked over the Thames. There had l>een a slight fog all day, and it hud thickened now into a brown veil which hid the river, awl dulled tho street lights—as he said to himself—From topazes into cairngorms, lje hoped that it would grow no worse; but his buoyant nature always expected the best, not the worst to'happen; therefore, as it was desirable for Emmaline not to bo delayed, hcv believed that the fog would improve, or that, at all events, it would not I'e bad in the part of London sho.wot setting out to visit.

"She'll get back all right, not much lato. anyhow," lie reflected. Then lip lighted a cigarette, and walking- up and down the. room, smoking, he thought what a lucky fallow hs was to havri found, .such delightful lodgings. Indeed, with him all good things seemed at Inst to have come together. After ii' long struggle, in which he kid tried to to.u-n "how to ho happy on sixpence a. day," he lnd made a brilliant success with a musical comedy accepted as a !>tO[)-gap. Xow he hud as many offers foi the future -as he had ideas; and he had found.' lodgings in the house of a young married couple, come to London from the country to mnko their fortune. Tlio linehuid was a doctor with no patients, and tho wifo was rv little, woman of much pluck who let her two best rooms an 1 cooked her lodcer's meals with as pretty a smile as if she had never hoped for better things. Titers was, to bo sure, a baby; but Denis Ulaekmore had been a' member of the household for a fortnight and had neither eoon nor—still more important—heard it. Now when its existence had'been recalled to his mind by E'nmnline's conscientious hesitations'- he proceeded to forget it again. "I wonder why I don't go to the piano'" ha asked himself. "I'll losa th» thing, unless I get hold of it bofoie it's gone. La-la-la-tum—how well it would suit Her voice, f wonder if she'll c\er sing anything of mine?" It was Hor fault,' really, that he was not at Iho piano now, for thoughts of Her ilways nvide.hiro restless, though 1"» had «iovor spoken, to Her iiv hisvlife; and parhaps never would. Nevertheless, She lived not far away, or in all pbbability it would ttat have occurred to Denis, to look for todaings, in Chelsea. ,<sl).s sang, it"is,true, in conceits, -wh'ch -vere eagerly awaited by the musical pub'ic, because, not only had slwa glorious ♦nezzo ,sopraTio voice of wonderful compass and quality, but slie'was also a \ery lovely .girl whose' mother hid been a famous American beauty, and whose fathoi—General Gordon, a man of exffmely old f.imily —liai3 died fighting for his cn.intn. T'liere were relatives of Violet Goidou'-, who disapproved of her using her talent

~'J6 fmal^rnOtiey;J seen 'her cess,;.' who; 'oouTd^iifrvß;;been Jo'ofeeniejitly' l forgotten";: ' had choseri;'not': to ;/shie lived so .(ju'ietry; in an-pldV Chelsea.'.House., N7ith"a\'ddigh4tfni. J ;Anteric&'''Bpi^f6r ! ;.atmt! is - mildest' Mid/'he did "not see libjy,;&^HvSnli^'eirer]be able to"make'" her, friends, and 'slio: had I 'thefa^putatioii'of be-' trigmostdifficult"ti'apprb'adfc ,f; iv' iK." .■-.■■ " His one coiTsolati6n''lay •in"'the*,fact that her :house aud.'his, new 'three streets' .apart,' 'and'spmetim"es,-'"h-e bad the' brief;.liappiiiness'.jof.'/soeiiig : fiei;jiitss. with her aunt, or stop,.before own door in her carriage. J ." Ancisp: it, was ..Hia't: the neighborhood of the TKahies Vwa's'' not the only attraction which .'had 'brought' him to search Chelsea for"lodgings'. '*■ ■ -T'... -.'"\.'.-" Sitting down at; the,.' ; paano ; jl:e*.let .bis thought go to Viblet'Gor.don'svhous'e, and knock there. Soniethin'g:',seemc-d ..to let: them in. •'- Ho imagmqd"her seated, at. her piano, as ha was, at.:Ms,not fax 'away,. and then lie began, to sing tp'her, and,for her, the air that .had been fluttering"like:-a wild bird, just beyond .his'..reach. ~lf no longer, for it was .eaugluN iiow, without resistance. Over and over again he played. and sang to it, until, suddenly another voice joined in. -.'*'. ..■■:-:■■'-■■'■-.■■ . Crash went Denis's ..bands on the keyboard; for the voice was a very, young voice, and it was making,a strange sound which might ."mean tears orf might mean laughter. He had waked the baby, and the baby, was criticising his .music with long-drawn boos, or ./gbos.L /.. "Heavens!" said /Denis, staring at the ceiling;-for it- was through; the .ceiling that the sounds made themselves beard. '\Npw I've done it.' What timeis it, I wonder?" He looked at ..his watch, and saw to his relief that it was close upon half past nine. Emmaline might arrive at: any moment now. ":,

"Woo-oo!" remarked the youthful voice upstairs. - ; • '. Denis jumped up aind went- to the window. The curtains, were drawn, but the window was kept open at the top, and us ho approached it, the sulphurous reek of fog stung his nostrils. ..Even the■■ cairngorms were gone now, arid: the brown veil had become a thick curtain which shut away the river as though it had ceased to exist.

"Zah-zali-zah-zali-zah!'-' came imperatively through the ceiling. A slight dew broke out on the forehead of Denis. "And I'm alone in the house with it," lie groaned. - ■ ' ■'For a moment, all was still, and Denis was beginning to hope that the baby would go to sleep again, when there was a. thud on the floor above. The baby had fallen out of bod. With boating heart Deuis awaited an agonising wail, but the fact that it did not come was perhaps more ominous, he told himself, than the worst howl of which infant lungs were callable.

He knew no more about children than he knew about ants, but, in a. way, a babywas a fellow-being he supposed, and could not be left broken in pieces on the floor, no matter what unknown dangers might haunt the path of a rescuer, attempting to match the bits together. There was nothing for it but to go upstairs, and he did go, three steps at a time. Jfevev before had he invaded Mrs Maple's }iart of the home, but it was easy to find the door of the room over his sitting-room. He opened it, quickly though dubiously, and then, starting back a step, exclaimed, "Hello!" The broken child had not only gathered up its broken pieces, and fitted them beautifully together,. but had crawled across the room to the door, where Denis found himself unexpectedly confronted .with it on the threshold. There was a. dim light in the roof, and what he saw was apparently a goldenhairod, pink-checked, large-eyed French doll, "come .alive" and dressed in a blue flannelette nightgown with ruffled feet. "Hullo," said Denis again. "How on earth did you get here?" "Gee-ee!" replied the baby. "Aren't you hurt?"' the young man inquired. This time the baby did not think it worth 'while to answer, but to Denis' great surprise, got upon all fours and was in the act of scrambling out into the corridor when he caught at the iooose fold of blue iHannclette and held on for dear life.

"No, you don't," said he, firmly. "None of that "my son. Or. should I say, my daughter? Yes, I remember now, you are a daughter. "You'd He ovct the stairs in another minute. I wonder if that's the way I used to get out when I was your age? For all the world like a crab. Now, ■the question is, what am I going to do with you?" He picked' the baby up somehow, and was vaguely charmed with the warmth and yielding softness of the plump little blue bundle. Holding it awkwardly in his arms, the Tound, pinky face, with- its rose of a mouth and its halo of yellow curls was close to his own. When the TOse parted in a queer little three-cor-nered smile to show four or five tiny pearls, Denis was conquered. "Why, you broth of a creature, if you're not smiling at.me!" he exclaimed, dancing the baby up and down in gratitude for such a flattering attention. .This' was .entrancing.; The baby • 6miled a gTeat deal more, displaying a dimple, in each pink cheek,- and: putting out her hands she grasped Denis by the hair. "Oh, come now, I?date say that's meant for a compliment, but I don't wear a wig," he'" protested. ; "Jove ! who would think, to look at you, you were so strong? I'll bet you got out of bed on purpose; the likes of you wouldn't fall. Now, back you. go again. I hope you'll like it, my lulu-bird, for I don't, know what else to do with you I'm sure. - ; But the baby had other views for herself. If Denis had "not known the difference in sound between tears and laughter of. an infant human being, he knew'how, and all in a wild instant. No, it was quite clear that boo, goo, woo, zah, and geej if they did not denote, pleasure, at leacjtuiey meant something,, less 'poignant than, distress. "Wc-ow!" loud and long drawn out was unmistakable,' however, and Denis quailed'before it, as an old-country yokel quails at the warning note of an automobile. ■-• ■ ' .... '-

He snatched the baby from- the" crib where he 'had - -replaced her-' and-'."began, walking distractedly up" and down':. the room. The'sliridk-of rage" was;' nipped in its red bud, but evidently -sOmetliihg was .still'very wrong. " Slie'stiiferied-herself and kicked- stalwirrtly, with the' blue flannelette feet. ■"."'•■. "' '"' : ; ,:■;'-

'My goodneos, you're probably haung i fit,' if I only knew it,' groined Dcm* '•l'd betlei take you down to my own sitting loom where I feel more ,it home, and put you by the fire I bclie\e I'\e lead that "persons with fits should bo kept warm Oh, if only l'mmahnc would come ibmo AYliat a timo I'm h.mng l " There was one comfort: the baby liked the hitting room, and coned as she he.out her toes to the fire. Tins rehe\ed tho more pressing anxieties of Denis, but the situition was still extremely strained It soon appeared that you co\ild not sit peifectly still with a baby perched on the hardest part of-jour knee, if you wished "that baby to remain for long in j content ed frame of ,-mind. You had to mo\e about, and make. absurd noises, and not the simo noise? too- many times Tunning When Denis had made all that he "knew, and inverted se\cral more, he thought of the piano Perhaps the baby would fancy the piano. She did, and was listening quite fully while Dcms sang and p'ayed an old Insli air which he hid set to music, when suddenly there "arose a great clatter in the Gtroet It souded exactly as if a liotsc were coining into the house; while mingled with the Stamping' of 'lTOn hoofs oh" stone, came a confused 'shouting in a man's "voice and frightened protests from at woman Quick as his own thought, -'Denis snatched a thick piece of Indian draperfrom the sofa, .wrapped it round the'baby, tucked the living oundle under his arm, and Tan down to the front- door. "In an instant he had it open; and the light of the hall gas jet revealed a -murky biograp'i of a Tearing horse with a man at its head and a woman trying to get out of a ban som cab. j This was queer work for jan amateur nurse with a baby undeT his' arm < to engage in; but a haby.~fond of walking on all fours could not be lefe alone in the room with a grate lire, neither could a woman be left in a cab when she wanted to get out. Thus it came about that Mis

'Miiple's^/thiiteen:-^ thirty ; :at ; niglit^/in'lierblue/jflaiiK I'ihelettev night^wh,Saiid-jdid.' ; -;;npt;;'.: xeturn: again until vshe i liad':.collectecl:;a..tallvslen 1 ' de.r;.yqungV ; >vbrnah.;: iii r a ; ;=long;; gray rcloa'ky iwi'tlia . a, veil for some'.;, time,: ons the-..d00r-: step; ... .assisting '•' tentive-wirli><an,.-;angxy;;M^ ' "He. ..would:; g^'iori^an,di.;jM-id-V'He : find; the him stop" let:me',get;put,anywh'ere,": explained -the escaped-/" fare, . somewhat trcmulpuis -with excitpment. - "It- r ;was :awful." ,We ran into lamp-posts,.and almost ,wenfe. down several ;,ai.eas..'; K6w,f;we were cconing up your _ front'steps;.". , :,.,:,'-..;. J -..'•Here's rialf .get; along with you," said, no state to drive even -on-;a. fine : night; ; ;.let alone,..in a fog: ,Xead: r ypuf...Jioxse, •'■ and take' niui as well ,'asJ:you" .stable,or I'll give yoiir :"nurnber, to,"theApplice -;to-mprrow-J'.,. "',.'';'■. '\''.y~/-... ■.'■"■■ V ''-'-;•' \;-;-- •.

"There -were mutterings and-demands;.fox .five, shillings and xevilirigs. -which: were finally 'shut out with some violence,-by .the. front' door,' for Denis,, the .baby, .and-, the young woman : in." gray Had alt xetxeated into the'.Maple hall. -■■■■; "I.don't- know, how I shall get. home," said the lady, distressfully;, behind ,the veil, which in the murky, atmospherepb.scuring the light, completely, blotted!out her features. 1 But even.' a „ baby .-might have noticed that her voice was :sweet. :

"The ;fog will be lifting soon," replied' the optimistic Denis. . "And even if it doesn't, we'll get you home somehow, never fear."

"We?" echoed the stranger, laughing a little, "You and the'baby?" "Some of the family," Denis assured hex. One's safer on foot than : in a cab."

' "My carriage should have come for me. at nine, for "I —had' another engagement, and was going to a place near home," said the lady. "But it hadn't arrived at half-past, so I took a cab. The fog wasn't, very bad then, in that- part of the town, it soon got worse. Oh, I'm thankful to be anywhere. And where ami, please?" "At"'27A Jane Carlyle street," returned Denis. ■ -• ■ "-: . "-■

"Oh, how good. Then I'm quite" noaT home alter all. Our ■house'is'in Chelsea, too. I_ often nass. through ! this street. I think I had better try to. get back now. Thank you so much for'everything." '"You can't possibly, go alone ; you would never find your way. I couldn't allow it," s'aid Denis, whose heart was beating so hard against the blue flannelette bundle, that the bundle sat motionless, listening, in sheer wonder at the phenomenon. He had not seen the lady's face; he did not know that long gray cloak; he had never heard her voice speaking in ordinary conversational tone before..'Still his heart beat and he would'be horribly disappointed if (should' : .she be induced to take off the veil) the heart beats', had been in vain. "Just lor the moment," he went on, "I am tied up here with trie baby—it's niy landlady's baby—for everybody went out, and it waked up • and I had to go to the rescue. You see how' things aTe. We can't leave it alone till the others come back, can we?"

"Xo. of course not," replied the veiled lady, tolerating the pronoun. "But what if the others —aTe lost in the fog, as I was ?"

"They can't be much longer now, for they'll come by underground, or omnibus, or something reliable," Denis soothed her. "Won't you—wouldn't it be better if you would, just come into the sitting room by the fire for a. little while? I suppose the baby oughtn't to be kept in the cold hall, ought it?"

"Dear me, no! 'We must go to the sitting room at once, ■if you will show me the way. But I'm afraid I shall have to take my veil off before moving a step. I put it on because of the sulphur smoke, but the fog's got into the house, so I can't see to take a step" The cloak was thrown back, that the veil might' be more easily untied, and Denis and the fascinated baby had a glimpse of two pretty gloved arms, and a fluffy gray dress, sparkling with'silver sequins. Tlien, down: came that fold of the thick lace scarf which had been utilised as a veil, and—Denis's heart had not beaten in vain.

It was She! lovelier than He had ever seen her, with her splendid chestnut hair crinkled into close waves under the lace head-wrap, her great eyes shadowed by the black brush of the fog. It seemed too wonderful' to be true. But it was true; for he might -have dreamed everything else; but he could riot have dreamed the baby. The baby was too far fetched. As for the girl, various thoughts weir© passing quickly in her mind, too, as Denis showed- heT way to the sitting Toom — which he hadn't mentioned was his. She did not know that he was Denis Blackmore, the young man who had been "made" in an hour by a successful musical comedy. If she: had known, she would have been exceedingly interested, because she bad' several of Denis. Blackmore'e ballads, published before the success of "Fifine at the Fair," and was fond of singing them at home, in the twilight•;. for they were lovely ;' •"twilight songs." she thought.She had even sung one. to-night for some intimate friends,-at a house where shefiad been dining early, before-going "on somewhere else with her aunt; and she had half-promised those friends to ■■-. sing the same song at her next concert, for an "encore." . . ■.'■■.;■"

■She-did not know*who .the young man was, but she and her'aunt had • noticed him several times in the street lately, and wondered about himj. because -.lie-., was handsome and clever-looking. "Distinguished," the aunt had said -.-and both had wondered whom lie could be; i

.-To-be rescued-by this particular young man lent- piquancy to the adventure; .but the. baby had been a distinct^shock, until glie had been told—Tather ostentatiously—that it was the landlady's'. .It would have been disappointing -somehow..to' have the handsome hero turn into a family man, and be introduced, lateT to a wife who had iione off, leaving him to take, .care of the child. But now "the. explained baby, was a welcome addition to the circle. It was a. chape Tone ; as.agreeable a chaperone as Violet Gordon had ever hal, though she did not think of saying that to herself in so many words., ■-. '.. -'■-.-:. ; : ;?.fc ;;„i : ' : The" sitting, tobrri looked delightfully .cosy, to the girl, coming: into-waTmti.i ; and--light, and safety, after the Teek;.of'i;the. fogand the shaTp-.thrill of"daiiger endured -and' to.--Denis: the-aoom was' exquisito'be;cause; "Violet Gordon.:was "there. •>. : .': , > She- Satvdowii;by. the.'fire :in a ; .big armchair (which:., would' always- be .a, sacred •chair 'after this -night "of. wbnders),- ■ aid held out her aTmsfor the baby.' Denis-uii-. rolled the . bundle:* and Violet exclaimed rat the -prettiriess of the little; being; in'Jthe blue nightgown; 'Conversation .was : . all about tho .baby,- whose ;iiame. Denis -.was ■ashamed toi own : he;liad'ne\-er heard, ; .ami 'so; ./when :his -'beautiful .guest-;a'sked.; ; :t)ie question,..- he. 'basely.; replied .that, ; he: be-lieved.yt.'•'tb.Do^Yiblet..-.-.'';.'V. ::';'-;- ; ;:■■',. ".!-:: -.-^/'Wliy/.tluVt's.'iiry-;name,"icried ihe.girl, without, stopping 4d.'tliink;:;V:;;' ;V?K : ; X-.*-'' ■ : :;'gu"iltily : ' ■\-:~. -■■ -"You ;,sheirepeafed- ■- - ;"YesV■;li;knoW;:wlio■~ you"; >re.* ; ; Ja -have' often lumSj^ysi^ •mind.'-'.-."-w..;-,. ~^^y^;kK.- : : :: :.c '^(^^^^'v'^fr''I "Violet',Jaßghea^isWjiy:' ■"sliqitia JI 1 ?-v*j■ I; ibnly/.a'Jlittie^ JtncU tens seenilfyou .:-ldtely^iii ; Jthis naghDOTh<Md£-But:^d^ ii : -sajnii. nobody Blackmore:;'.';.' "v:g i.?..- S«4S'»:f.^jK'.'iSSf.S.-w 1 ;: =^Blackmore;!j?;Th^s^rish'; ! ? ife'iYes^til'ni.; ;to W"l.,was-. sihgingla^ iing!tSyP' avflamesake"-of ;;peTl]aps?:a ;cßunf:ryman;'gsaid'vVs6let, fthbughfullyC "It VwSs ; called^-r#'^:.':vv;-'■''>>.'-tv ; . ; ; : : .-."'"' ■{■*'

' ;;in. a: wail from'the: 1 'b'aljjvwli'o.;had::s4it,ainnoticed for to6-ldngi.-,fiesides J! -.she. was growing hungry;-; and nobody seemed to care. It was well;venoug'lii to ;be ! . good natured; but atimeScari' come when the best good- nature is ; stretched to breaking point. Hers had reached that point now, and it was such a -relief for her pent-up feelings to howl with these strange, uncomprehending faces staring down at her that she howled again. Then she lost her breath, and-that- hurt, and n<s mother and no Emmaline came, so she beat the -air with little fists and kicked wildly with' blue flannelette feet.

"It seems to be choking. Has it got the croup?" Denis tried to make ■ himself heard through the uproar, while Miss Gordon trotted the baby up and\dow'n with anxious conscientiousness; . > .

Si v J.;sp J siidden^l' ) :thmki"^slie'"aris^er^ 'ha,ps''the :ppor:';dieaf; is;' liurigxy.",;;." '•'':'(■,. ■':?■ ',;;;: -. "''^:-Why,;;ofv'course: ; '^HbwjStuipid^pieTne^ 'jipt :;tliatS'/I'll "fgo: and::forage for-something—in-.the.'kitclien.i. .;;,;:;;:" .'; v ;;:?'Milk:l"- shfieUed. '•'■:: "Mifliy'/ecnoetf Denis,; an'dVdisappeared • '•but -ibe :ibaby^oried;i;dven'.harder; whenvi'he' left the-xppm,: ; and:when^ *for-a.';texiible:fi\-e:;minntes ; liour, , :-tlie ' neryes:: rebelled.;'; :She wrapped- the; '. scieaming oliild/"'once more in[the ; aiid' set" off oh''an exploring,.expeditibri Witli ; tli.e: /distarbing bundle'xn^lier-aTms.:;.:':";' '-!." -'y-.: '■ : -"MT''Blackmdre!" she -. called at- the top of-'the''' kitchen- staiTs.-"' "Can. -I come dbwn:?"iC : ;;"v , : ■: : : : :y : '£::'.' : "y: :.■..::.'- ..'. ■'•' •;x Ofi, "do! implored 1 ; Denis","! can't find anythihgi; but/I've: got,'a,/',hammer,";andv;rm :just -going ...to./.break, open the'.locked" cup-' ib6ard.; v v ;// : '"' : .;. ./.';. "./":." :: " ;

'J Tlu'sl.extrenie; act, carried out with ' eri- , chanting ferocity, .and .an., entertaining splintering of "wood, delighted, the -baby -,th(its she : forgot she was crying, for But there was only condensed: milk in -the cupboardj after, ,'all, arid nobody was quite- sure: what ought, to bedone ; with that, so the-baby's appetite was dubiously tested with the remains, of Denis's rice,, pudding. This experiment was-a-brilliant--success, the sole drawback being that it was-difficult to be sure _when an infant's'appetite : ought- to be satisfied'. -By -the time that twelve spoonfuls had "go," Miss Gordon- and Mr Blackmore 6eemed to know each, other muck better than most persons do who have been properly.introduced and have met at half a dozen At Homes and dances. That was because; apropos of the baby, and the infantile eccentricities they were discovering, they had talked of. their own childhood. She had told him things about hers, he had told her things about his, and they had asked questions-about each other's. Most of the-things. were funny things, and they had laughed, and the baby had laughed, and Violet had ■continued mechanically to deal out grains of rice,nntil suddenly there was an alarming discovery. "Good gracious!" said Denis, "she's bad it all." ■'■ " . . ' ."How dreadful," exclaimed \iolet, 'so she has. How wicked of me not■ to ; notice. And she can't be used to pudding." "She looked pleased with, it," said Denis. . "Now. But any moment the reaction may set in. What shall "we do if she is ill!" ■.,'-, "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." And to Denis there was no evil in this moment. "Oh, and it's after eleven o'clock. What shall 1 do? 1 must get home somehow. My aunt-will be so anxious." •'She'll think your friends kept you on account of the fog. But let me take the baby and we'll go .upstairs. Then I'll have a look out of doors." ■ ■ The procession moved. Violet cuddled the baby closely in the Indian drapery and went to the sitting-room window . with Denis. The fog was no longer a- brown curtain; it was a- black wall; and the girl should have' been a- great deal more distressed than she really was. "If they don't come soon and take this little creature, I shall have to make the venture alone," she said, knowing well that such an undertaking would never be allowed. Indeed, it seemed to shock even the baby who began to fret again. "Rather than you should do that, 111 desert the child," replied Denis, looking with such stem resolution at the. bundle that .tli'e fretting changed promptly into a '"Do you think I'd have a baby's blood on my head? :S : ever!" protested Violet. '"Shall I leave you with it then, and go out to look for your house and tell your aunt?" asked Denis, above the rising storm. '•j(o—no. You might be lost and not come back for hours. It was bad enough when you were in the kitchen.- Don't "go." Denis was radiant. This angel desired his companionship. She would miss him. '"I won't go," said he. "But I am sorry-you're unhappy." "I'm not—exactly unhappy." "What can 1 do to make you happier? "Oh, ■!' don't matter. It's the baby I'm thinking of." (She was-not in reality: she was thinking of him.) _ "What shall we do for the poor darling?" "I know what would please her. If you would sing—" (He would not have dared to ask tliis boon' for himself.)

"I'll try." She sat down at the-piano, and thought for a moment. Then she said: "I'll- sing the baby—the song I was 'speaking of when—we were introducing ourselves to each other. The one by your namesake. It's called 'My Love in her Youth.'" She began, 6oftly, the words and music which Denis knew so well, sweet ■as honey on her lips, precious as jewels falling from the fingers that strayed among the yellowing ivory keys. Denis forgot to walk up:and down with the baby. He stood as still as if his own music held him under :a spell, and once he squeezed the baby so hard that she squeaked like a. mechanical doll.

"Do:'you like it?" -Violet/asked,■■ seeing him rapt when she had. finished. "Like it ? Why, when you ' sing " "Oh, but I mean the music." - "I dare say the music's well .enough." "' "Perhaps you don't care for music?" "It's my—yes, Ido care." "Do you play or sing at all?" . "A little." "Will you sing something for. me now?" "1 shouldn't, dare.":, "I mean.for the baby. '.'Yon must. She's, going to cry. again. I'll take her." •.The baby changed'hands, the fingers of the man and the girl touching. Then Denis took the place she had left at the piano: He, too, thought for a minute, and then he. began; "Heart of -My Heart," the song .which she Invd inspired when she was absent. , ~.--'.;. - -

"How lovely—how lovely!" she ex-claimed-when the song, came' to an .end, and the singer" sat still, looking at her as he had looked while he sang. "I never heard it before. It sounds like Denis Blackm'oie's music." "It is his." "It .'.must be quite new." . "Yes." " - ! ".' ■,.;"■' "When did it come out?" "It 'hasn't come out yet. It was born only ■ this: evening."" ; idon't understand. ';'•, Can it be that^hat f you'- i -oh,'-*6w::stupid, of,. :ine not "to-think "of that, before. :'," Yet how d6uia:'l?"v- .<?,:■-:,.:■■,•.

';■;• .>'V7.hy'-should you?-- It's just, an prdiiiaryname." '■'■ _•-■ :■= "And I've been,talking all the evening ■to :iv-'genius.''r.-,"■-'.■■':•''-/';;''■'■'-■ ':', -.:/.. ■-';■.:.- : "Don't- you flatter me.": .-,'..- v %i isn't Baby ?" ; . : : - .;;

"00-oo," said'.tlie. baby:-;-.''-;-'"!; . :. :'■: \^'lt's ; iohe~oi)the' best things be—you—-. 'ever: did',"' : -the girl iwent; .on.- : ;''l should JbvcS..'t(>?Eing , ut;?'....:'.VV"r.; .:■■> .■ .;'-- 1 . ■'".'' ;>''"lt/is-yours;?'7: : ss4::<.' : ,--'? ■ '■':'. "; ■:-■ ;-. "V' ; iv-'you;-ato'<iVer.y;i'kihdi"-^- r ;.. ; '■•.'•.'{-' : 'i'» ■'■':.."■ ' : '' f i-S'l'dbn'tiiniean. 'itf that-;*way, :.,v; niusicicanie .of ..you." j

"Yes. I can't help telling you now It wouldn't seem honest not to - I moved up to Chelsea 111 the hope of being near you —the hope of passing you m the streets sometimes You've been'my inspiration foi months —ever since the fiTst time 1 heard you &mg If I've had any success, its all duetto you, really—just because you were m the woild Will you forgive me for talking like this to you' You won't be .angry'"

IE ! ■,"i^d-&"thinklthat-T : you-^ •td^igh'toV'Ws^ ' "It has been^a:strange .forget'it,Boon." - -M : '^You,,won't-^hate- it6 "jhink?;jp| "No—l—how could 'Tr ; after;that*soiig : ?' ! ', "I ? d made up .my "miiid/ toicallvit.iSeart--"of My Heart.' May.it-:be named;that?" ■:;' %: "If you like.. It's yours;". "■". : .' ; > : - s '{-P'\: "No, yours. But yqu hai'en'tsaid.if you would forgive me.",;.-..' ■■ Impulsively Violet helcL out ;iher ' hand. Denis took a step forward, and grasped it. So they stood for an instant—only an instant, but it- was long .enough for the baby. Seeing her chance for a new amusement, she.buried one tiny fist in Violet's hair, and with the other seized the necktie of Denis. This had the effect of bringing the girl's head into dangerous proximity with the young man's shoulder, and it was at this moment that Mrs Maple appeared' at the door*

r of".nibsic ' (ioiApii: ;and : ; jpe^;i&]acKinbre':ttb; ; , each btlier, ; 'tjibiigK : 'npL'-' o pne' : ' i kn6ws/.: exactly'-hbw'/'they' "mett/aljuftaitef ?all;."was ;i.t : the ;baby, or 'wds:^^in^dine'; : it ,;;the, fog, ."tKat. niade'Ljthe,jnatch/? v i^.>'- ff ,,!•..•_ j-,;.--..