"No, no," she cried. "I'm going right back, I only came home for you.
You must go right over. Randolph is wild. Oh, it's so dear and sweet!
Just like a rose! I could smother it with kisses!"

She would hardly let him go for his hat, and all the way over she
dragged him along, insisting upon greater speed and chattering in an
excited, happy way that was perfectly new and perfectly delightful to
Steve.

Randolph was on the lookout for them, and his excitement was no less
than Nannie's.

"You must see the pretty little baby, old man," he said after an
impetuous hand-shaking.

"Why, yes, do let me see it."

"Don't say _it_," exclaimed Nannie. "It's a little girl."

"Well, my dear--really--you forgot to mention which it was."

Just then Randolph entered with a bundle of shawls, which he
reverently and delightedly opened.

All at once his face changed and a look of blank dismay effaced his
happy, expectant expression.

"W--why, where is she?" he stammered.

"Randolph Chance!" blazed Nannie, snatching the bundle from him, "I
could slap you! You've got her upside down!"

"Oh!" groaned Randolph. "Will it kill her?"

"It may!" said Nannie fiercely. "You've no business with her! Holding
her heels up! Poor little thing."

And she laid her face on the tiny human doll and cooed to it, and
soothed it, while the father stood there--big, helpless, remorseful,
solicitous, and tender.

"Let me take her," said Steve quietly, holding out his hands.

Nannie's first impulse was to say "No" and to press the baby closer to
her, but something in Steve's face arrested the word she would have
spoken, and she placed the precious little charge in his arms.

"I declare, old man, one would think you had had a dozen at least!"
said Randolph, looking on admiringly.

"It's the first very young child I ever held," said Steve.

Nannie was still. She and Randolph were looking at Steve, and Steve
was looking into the little face that lay upon his arm. For a moment
no one spoke; then Nannie said abruptly:

"I want to see Constance."

"I'm afraid I can't let you, Nannie," said Randolph. "She doesn't seem
quite as well as she did awhile ago."

"Then I must see her," said Nannie emphatically.

"Why, my dear," Steve began gently, "perhaps to-morrow----"

"No, I must see her now. I've something to tell her. It will make her
well. I _must_ see her."

She was so determined that Randolph reluctantly consented, and she
passed into C