tour across the room to stare up with bright baby wonder at the
novelty of warm, rich color which had caught his fancy.

"I must kiss Tod," she said; no ceremony was ever considered complete,
and no occasion perfect, unless Tod had been kissed, and so taken into
the general confidence. "Tod, come and be kissed."

But, being a young gentleman of by no means effusive nature, Tod
preferred to remain stationary, holding to the toe of his red shoe
and gazing upward with an expression of approbation and indifference
commingled, which delighted his feminine admirers beyond expression.

"He knows it is something new," said 'Toinette. "See how he looks at
it." Whereupon, of course, there was a chorus of delighted acquiescence,
and Aunt Dolly must needs go down upon the hearthrug, too.

"Has Aunt Mollie got a grand new dress on, Beauty?" she said, glowing
with such pretty, womanly adoration of this atom of all-ruling baby-dom,
as made her seem the very cream and essence of lovableness and sweet
nonsense. And then, Master Tod, still remaining unmoved by adulation,
and still regarding his small circle of tender sycophants with round,
liquid, baby eyes serene, and dewy red lips apart, was so effective
in this one of his many entrancing moods, that he was no longer to be
resisted, and so was caught up and embraced with ecstasy.

"He notices everything," cries Aunt Dolly; "and I 'm sure he understands
every word he hears. He is _so_ different from other babies."

Different! Of course he was different. There was not one of them but
indignantly scouted at the idea of there ever having before existed such
a combination of infantile gifts and graces. The most obtuse of people
could not fail to acknowledge his vast superiority, in spite of their
obtuseness.

"But," remarked Aimee, with discretion, "you had better stand up,
Mollie, or you will crush your front breadths." "

Mollie, with a saving recollection of front breadths, arose, and as it
chanced just in time to turn toward the door as Ralph Gowan came in.

He was looking his best to-night,--that enviable, thorough-bred best,
which was the natural result of culture, money, and ease; and Dolly,
catching sight of Mollie's guileless blushes, deplored, while she did
not wonder at them, understanding her as she did. It was just like the
child to blush, feeling herself the centre of observation, but she
could not help wishing that her blush had not been quite so quick and
sensitive.