said, "I must say I am glad to see you. The Judge brought us
a nice story from the country yesterday. What have you been doing at the
Cross-roads? I told the Judge I didn't believe a word of it. There, sit
down in this chair and tell me right away."

"Well," answered Tom in a business-like manner, "it's true or I shouldn't
be here to-day. I've come to ask your advice about--well, about things in
general."

Mrs. Rutherford uttered a little cry of delighted curiosity and surprise.

"Gracious!" she exclaimed, "I never heard such a thing! Mother!" turning
her head to call to someone in the room beyond, "it's all true about the
baby. Do come and hear Mr. De Willoughby tell about it."

She sat down on the steps of the porch laughing and yet regarding Tom
with a half sympathetic, half curious look. It was not the first time she
had found him unexpectedly mysterious.

"Where's the father?" she said. "Didn't he care for the poor little thing
at all? The Judge heard that he was so poor that he couldn't take care of
it. Hadn't he any friends? It has a kind of heartless sound to me--his
going away that way."

"He was poor," said Tom, quietly. "And he had no relatives who could take
the child. He didn't know what to do with it. I--I think he had a chance
of making a living out West and--the blow seemed to have stunned him."

"And you took the baby?" put in Mrs. Rutherford.

"Yes," Tom answered, "I took the baby."

"Is it a pretty baby?"

"Yes," said Tom, "I think it is."

Just then the Judge's mother came out and he was called upon to tell the
story again, when it was received with interest even more excited and
wondering than before. The older Mrs. Rutherford exclaimed and looked
dubious alternately.

"Are you sure you know what to do with it?" she asked.

"Well, no," said Tom, "I'm not. I suppose I shall have to educate myself
up to it gradually. There'll be a good deal to learn, I suppose."

But he did not appear at all discouraged, and presently broached the
object of his visit, displaying such modest readiness to accept advice
and avail himself of all opportunities for acquiring valuable
information, that his young hostess was aroused to the deepest
admiration, and when he proceeded to produce quite a large memorandum
book with a view to taking an immediate list of all required articles,
and established rules, she could scarcely contain her delight.

"I want to do it all up in the proper way," he said.

Ther