tender sort of indignation: “How dared they do it? Give her to me,
poor little motherless thing!?
Mac laid the bundle in her arms, and Rose began to cuddle it in the
fond, foolish way women have a most comfortable and effective
way, nevertheless and baby evidently felt that things were
changing for the better when warm lips touched her cheeks, a soft
hand smoothed her tumbled hair, and a womanly face bent over
her with the inarticulate cooings and purrings mothers make. The
frightened eyes went up to this gentle countenance and rested there
as if reassured; the little claw crept to the girl’s neck, and poor
baby nestled to her with a long sigh and a plaintive murmur of
“Marmar, marmar” that certainly would have touched a stony
heart.
“Now, go on. No, Rosa, not you,” said the new nurse as the
intelligent animal looked around to see if things were all right
before she proceeded.
“I took the child home to mother, not knowing what else to do, but
she wouldn’t have it at any price, even for a night. She doesn’t like
children, you know, and Father has joked so much about ‘the
Pointers’ that she is quite rampant at the mere idea of a child in the
house. She told me to take it to the Rose Garden. I said it was
running over now, and no room even for a mite like this. ‘Go to the
Hospital,’ says she. ‘Baby isn’t ill, ma’am,’ says I. ‘Orphan Asylum,’
says she. ‘Not an orphan got a father who can’t take care of her,’
says I. ‘Take her to the Foundling place, or Mrs. Gardener, or
someone whose business it is. I will not have the creature here,
sick and dirty and noisy. Carry it back, and ask Rose to tell you
what to do with it.’ So my cruel parent cast me forth but relented as
I shouldered baby, gave me a shawl to put her in, a jumble to feed
her with, and money to pay her board in some good place.
Mother’s bark is always worse than her bite, you know.?
“And you were trying to think of the ‘good place’ as you sat here?”
asked Rose, looking down at him with great approval as he stood
patting Rosa’s glossy neck.
“Exactly. I didn’t want to trouble you, for you have your house full
already, and I really couldn’t lay my hand on any good soul who
would be bothered with this little forlornity. She has nothing to
recommend her, you see not pretty; feeble; shy as a mouse; no end
of care, I daresay yet she needs every bit she can get to keep soul
and body together, if I’m any judge.?
Rose opened her lips impulsively, but closed them without
speaking and sat a minute looking straight between Rosa’s ears, as
if forcing herself to think twice before she spoke. Mac watched her
out of the corner of his eyes as he said, in a musing tone, tucking
the shawl around a pair of shabby little feet the while, “This seems
to be one of the charities that no one wants to undertake, yet I can’t
help feeling that my promise to the mother binds me to something
more than merely handing baby over to some busy matron or
careless nurse in any of our overcrowded institutions. She is such a
frail creature she won’t trouble anyone long, perhaps, and I should
like to give her just a taste of comfort, if not love, before she finds
her ‘Marmar’ again.?
“Lead Rosa I’m going to take this child home, and if Uncle is
willing, I’ll adopt her, and she shall be happy!” cried Rose, with the
sudden glow of feeling that always made her lovely. And gathering
poor baby close, she went on her way like a modern Britomart,
ready to redress the wrongs of any who had need of her.
As he led the slowly stepping horse along the quiet road, Mac
could not help thinking that they looked a little like the Flight into
Egypt, but he did not say so, being a reverent youth only glanced
back now and then at the figure above him, for Rose had taken off