elder Miss Clark, coming through the gate.
"Will you shake hands with me, Ayleesabet?"

She held out her hand to the solemn child who sat staring at her with
unmoved expression. Ethel Blue hesitatingly began to explain that the
baby did not yet know how to shake hands, when to their amazement
Elisabeth extended a tiny mittened paw and laid it in Miss Clark's hand.

"The dear child!" exclaimed both women, and the elder flushed warmly as
if the delicate contact had touched an intimate chord. She gave the
mitten a pressure and held it, Elisabeth making no objection.

"Won't you bring her in to see us once in a while?" begged the younger
Miss Clark. "We should like so much to have you. We've watched her go by
with that charming looking young woman who takes care of her."

"Miss Merriam. She's from the School of Mothercraft," and Ethel Brown
explained the work of the school.

"How fortunate you were to know about the school. It would have been
anxious work for Mrs. Morton and Mrs. Smith if they had had full
responsibility for such a feeble baby."

"We all love Miss Merriam," said Ethel Blue. "Say 'Gertrude,'
Elisabeth," and Elisabeth obediently repeated "Gertrude" in her soft
pipe, and looked about for the owner of the name.

"We'll bring her in to call on you," promised the Ethels, saying
"Good-bye," and they went on feeling far more gently disposed toward
their cross-patch neighbors than they ever had before. As for the
"cross-patches," they looked after the carriage as long as it was in
sight.

When the girls returned to Dorothy's they found Edward Watkins there.

"It's very nice of you to come out to see how the baby is getting
along," said Ethel Brown, going in to the living room, while Ethel Blue
helped Miss Merriam take Elisabeth out of the carriage.

"I mean to keep an eye on her," replied Edward gravely.

"You don't really have to do it if it isn't convenient, you know,"
returned Ethel. "Of course we appreciate it tremendously, but Dr.
Hancock is nearer and he's been coming over quite regularly."

"I shan't try to compete with Dr. Hancock," promised Dr. Watkins; "but
Elisabeth is the Club baby, you know, and Tom and Della are members so
as their brother I feel almost a personal interest."

"It's lovely of you to feel so. I just didn't want you to be bothered,"
explained Ethel conscientiously.

When Miss Merriam brought the baby in he examined her carefully as one
tiny hand after another was released