will do her good, I can't see how it is that you always set your
face against her going out."

"Oh but Louis, you know she has a bad cold."

"Well it will do her cold good, I can't think where you got the idea,
that going out is bad for a cold. Take her out Sarah."

"But Louis I'm afraid it will rain."

"Rain, nonsense, what are you dreaming of this bright morning, take her
out by all means Sarah, it will do her good."

Natalie gazed uneasily at the dark storm cloud in the horizon and was
anything but satisfied.

"Why Natie you look as sober as a judge" said Louis as he rose to go on
his morning calls, "looking out for rain eh, don't be alarmed baby is
not sugar nor salt."

The careless gaiety of his tone jarred unpleasantly with her anxious
fears for her darling, and she sighed as she looked pensively out upon
the bright landscape, with another sigh she left the window and went
about her various duties, about an hour after this, Natalie was startled
by a vivid flash of lightning, and deafening peal of thunder; down came
the rain in torrents, oh where is baby? how anxiously she watched,
peering down the street from the front door, but no sign of Izzie, and
how cold the air has turned. She orders a fire to be made in the
nursery, and waits impatiently for baby's return. She comes at last, "oh
my baby!" Natalie exclaims as she takes in her arms the dripping child,
wet to the skin, and white as a sheet, every bit of clothing soaked,
saturated. Natalie can not restrain her tears as she removes them, and
warms the child before the bright fire, "oh my baby, my baby, my poor
little Izzie," she murmured passionately, as she soothed and caressed
her pet. Baby was happy now in her fresh clothes, and nestled cosily to
her mother. After the thunder shower the weather cleared and all seemed
bright and joyous without, but Natalie's heart was heavy, she was still
very uneasy about the child, Louis was detained from home the entire
day. At night baby became so oppressed in her breathing that Natalie was
quite alarmed, oh how anxiously did she listen for Louis return, as she
knelt by the child's cot in agony watching her intently.

"Oh if he would but come, why, why, did he send her out. Oh the agony,
waiting, watching, yes that is his step at last, she sends message after
message, but he comes not, he will come when he has had his dinner she
is told. It wrings her heart to leave her darling, even for a moment,
but it must be d