w to give it to."

Billy laughed softly, but Aunt Hannah had more to say.

"You know she isn't going to allow any toys but Teddy bears and woolly
lambs, of which, I believe, she has already bought quite an assortment.
She says they don't rattle or squeak. I declare, when I see the woolen
pads and rubber hushers that that child has put everywhere all over the
house, I don't know whether to laugh or cry. And she's so worried! It
seems Cyril must needs take just this time to start composing a new
opera or symphony, or something; and never before has she allowed him to
be interrupted by anything on such an occasion. But what he'll do when
the baby comes she says she doesn't know, for she says she can't--she
just can't keep it from bothering him some, she's afraid. As if any
opera or symphony that ever lived was of more consequence than a man's
own child!" finished Aunt Hannah, with an indignant sniff, as she
reached for her shawl.

CHAPTER XIX. A TOUGH NUT TO CRACK FOR CYRIL

It was early in the forenoon of the first day of July that Eliza told
her mistress that Mrs. Stetson was asking for her at the telephone.
Eliza's face was not a little troubled.

"I'm afraid, maybe, it isn't good news," she stammered, as her mistress
hurriedly arose. "She's at Mr. Cyril Henshaw's--Mrs. Stetson is--and she
seemed so terribly upset about something that there was no making real
sense out of what she said. But she asked for you, and said to have you
come quick."

Billy, her own face paling, was already at the telephone.

"Yes, Aunt Hannah. What is it?"

"Oh, my grief and conscience, Billy, if you _can_, come up here, please.
You must come! _Can't_ you come?"

"Why, yes, of course. But--but--_Marie!_ The--the _baby!_"

A faint groan came across the wires.

"Oh, my grief and conscience, Billy! It isn't _the_ baby. It's _babies!_
It's twins--boys. Cyril has them now--the nurse hasn't got here yet."

"Twins! _Cyril_ has them!" broke in Billy, hysterically.

"Yes, and they're crying something terrible. We've sent for a second
nurse to come, too, of course, but she hasn't got here yet, either. And
those babies--if you could hear them! That's what we want you for, to--"

But Billy was almost laughing now.

"All right, I'll come out--and hear them," she called a bit wildly, as
she hung up the receiver.

Some little time later, a palpably nervous maid admitted Billy to the
home of Mr. and Mrs. Cyril Henshaw. Even as the d