t the fittest place for infancy,
an' any discussion of our esteemable hostess in them marital
attitoodes of hers is sooperfluous. S'ppose we lets it go, without
elab'ration, that the O. K. House, from nursery standp'ints, won't
do.'

"Cherokee thinks that mighty likely a good way'd be to have Annalinda
live with Tutt an' Tucson Jennie.

"Peets shakes his sagacious head.

"'Dave'll onderstand my p'sition to be purely scientific,' he says,
glancin' across at Tutt, 'when I states that sech a move'd be a error.
Tucson Jennie, as wife an' mother, is as fine as silk. But she's also
a female woman, an' owns a papoose of her own. Thar's inborn reasons
why woman, as sech, while sympathetic an' gen'rally speakin' plumb
lovely, is oncapable onder certain circumstances of a squar' deal. In
this yere business of babies, for example, thar's existed throughout
the ages a onbridgable gulf in her eyes between her offspring an'
other folks' offspring; an' while disclaiming all disloyalty to Tucson
Jennie, I'm obleeged to say that as between Annalinda an' little
Enright Peets, she wouldn't be cap'ble of a even break. Do I
overstate the trooth, Dave?'

"'None whatever,' Tutt returns. 'What you discovers scientific, Doc, I
learns more painfully as husband an' father. I fully agrees that when
it comes to other folks' children no female mother can hold the
onbiased scales.'

"'Thar's French an' his wife?' chirps Nell, her elbow on the lay-out,
an' her little round chin in her fist; 'thar's the Frenches, over to
the corrals? French an' Benson Annie ain't got no children, an' they'd
be pleased to death at havin' Annalinda.'

"'But be they competent?' asks Texas, over whom a feelin' of
se'f-importance is already beginnin' to creep like ivy on a wall. 'I
don't want to be considered a carper, but as I sees it I'd be doin'
less'n my dooty as a uncle if I fails to ask, Be them Frenches
competent?'

"'You'll have to rope up a nurse some'ers, anyhow, Texas,' Boggs puts
in. 'Thar's dozens of them good-nachered fat young senoritas among the
Mexicans who'll do. The nurse would know her business, even if the
Frenches don't.'

"'Two nurses,' declar's Tutt. 'Bein' a father, I savvys the nurse
game from start to finish. You'll need two; one to hold it, an' one to
fetch it things.'

"'But about them Frenches?' inquires Jack Moore. 'Ain't we goin' a
little fast? Mebby they themselves has objections.'

"'Which they'd look mighty well,' observes C