ngely dark, almost as if stained, and I know
she makes up her eyebrows. Sometimes I've noted that her French, when
she speaks in her own language, is anything but correct, yet she seems a
girl of some education. Her intonation is occasionally a trifle
different from that of most French people I've met."

"But she's very faithful."

"Yes, she is very faithful and very kind with the baby. But I believe
Lizette has a secret."

"A secret?"

"Yes."

"Why do you think that?"

"Occasionally she looks at me in the most peculiar manner. I've caught
her looking that way several times. Once I discovered her glaring at
Frank's back in a way that was almost savage."

"How singular! What do you suppose it means?"

"Oh, I don't know, unless it may be that she envies Frank and me. It may
be that some time she was disappointed by an unfaithful lover."

"Poor girl!" breathed Elsie. "If such is the case, I think I realize how
she feels. But look, Inza, here come the boys now. They're coming over
from the Hall."

The "boys" were Frank and Bart, who were approaching side by side, two
splendid specimens of American manhood.

CHAPTER IV.

A MAID OF MYSTERY.

Frank and Bart waved their hands and lifted their hats. Hodge dashed up
the veranda steps to join his wife, while Merry paused to bend over the
baby carriage.

"Why, he's wide awake," laughed Merry, as he surveyed the baby. "He's
chipper and bright as a new-minted dollar, but he isn't raising much of
a racket."

"Oh, he has ze most splendid tempaire for ze baby zat I evaire see,"
said Lizette. "He no make ze cry, ze squawk, ze squeal all ze time, like
some babeez. When he is hungaire he hollaire some. Zat is naturaile."

"Quite," laughed Merry. "When I'm hungry I'm inclined to put up a holler
myself. Hey, hey, toddlekins, you're getting a dimple!"

He touched the baby's cheeks, and the tiny hands found and grasped his
finger. A moment later that finger was in the baby's mouth.

"Hold on, you cannibal!" protested Frank, in great delight. "You're
trying to eat your own father! Haven't you any heart or conscience!
Haven't you any feeling for your dad! I believe he's hungry now,
Lizette. I believe he's perishing! Lizette, you're starving him!"

"Oh, oh, monsieur!" cried the nurse. "I nevaire starve heem. He have all
he need. You gif heem too much he git ze colic--he git ze cramp. You
make heem sick. You know how to feed ze big boys to make zem strong and
well