. Gerhardt timidly.

"It's a good-sized little church," he continued.

"Yes."

Gerhardt looked around him, at the street, the houses, the show of
brisk life on this sunshiny, winter's day, and then finally at the
child that his wife was carrying.

"She must be heavy," he said, in his characteristic German. "Let me
take her."

Mrs. Gerhardt, who was rather weary, did not refuse.

"There!" he said, as he looked at her and then fixed her
comfortably upon his shoulder. "Let us hope she proves worthy of all
that has been done to-day."

Mrs. Gerhardt listened, and the meaning in his voice interpreted
itself plainly enough. The presence of the child in the house might be
the cause of recurring spells of depression and unkind words, but
there would be another and greater influence restraining him. There
would always be her soul to consider. He would never again be utterly
unconscious of her soul.

CHAPTER XVI

During the remainder of Gerhardt's stay he was shy in Jennie's
presence and endeavored to act as though he were unconscious of her
existence. When the time came for parting he even went away without
bidding her good-by, telling his wife she might do that for him; but
after he was actually on his way back to Youngstown he regretted the
omission. "I might have bade her good-by," he thought to himself as
the train rumbled heavily along. But it was too late.

For the time being the affairs of the Gerhardt family drifted.
Jennie continued her work with Mrs. Bracebridge. Sebastian fixed
himself firmly in his clerkship in the cigar store. George was
promoted to the noble sum of three dollars, and then three-fifty. It
was a narrow, humdrum life the family led. Coal, groceries, shoes, and
clothing were the uppermost topics of their conversation; every one
felt the stress and strain of trying to make ends meet.

That which worried Jennie most, and there were many things which
weighed upon her sensitive soul, was the outcome of her own
life--not so much for herself as for her baby and the family. She
could not really see where she fitted in. "Who would have me?" she
asked herself over and over. "How was she to dispose of Vesta in the
event of a new love affair?" Such a contingency was quite possible.
She was young, good-looking, and men were inclined to flirt with her,
or rather to attempt it. The Bracebridges entertained many masculine
guests, and some of them had made unpleasant overtures to her.

"My dear