nt down. "Let me have him! I'll take him to
the nursery."

"Ah, don't wake him!" she said.

Jake's arms encompassed the little bundle and lifted it from her. The
baby made a small noise that sounded like a protest, but he did not open
his eyes.

"Don't you come!" said Jake. "I'll fix him."

And with light tread he bore his son away. Maud looked after him with a
touch of wistfulness, but she did not move, and in a few minutes he came
back to her, knelt beside her, and gathered her strongly into his arms.

"My girl!" he said softly. "My own girl!"

She clasped him round the neck, laying her head against him without
words.

"Tired?" he said.

"No--no--not really! Too happy to complain anyway." She spoke in a
whisper as if unwilling to break her silence.

"You want more help," he said.

She lifted her face and kissed his neck. "No, Jake dear. I don't want the
children taken out of my hands entirely. Whatever should I do without
them?"

"Look after me for a change," suggested Jake.

She laughed a muffled laugh with her lips raised to his. "Do I neglect
you, Jake?"

"No," he said. "You're the best wife a man ever had. I believe I'm first
with you--even now."

"Always--always first," she whispered against the lips that pressed her
own.

He held her very closely to him for a space in silence. He had loved her
with a fiery worship from the first moment of their meeting, but the
wealth of her answering love still filled his soul with wonder. Over and
over again he would tell himself that he was not her sort, but when he
held her thus throbbing against his heart, he knew beyond all questioning
that they were one.

"You haven't told me a single thing about today's meeting," she murmured
presently.

Jake began to smile. "On my soul I had forgotten all about it. Prince
Charlie has gained his first laurels. He won by two and a half lengths."

"Oh, Jake, how splendid! How proud you must be! I'm tremendously glad.
And what about Charlie? Was he there to see his namesake carry all before
him?"

"Saltash, do you mean? Yes, he was there." Jake's tone was somewhat dry.

Maud drew back a little to look at him. "I hope you asked him to dine,"
she said.

"Oh yes," said Jake, with a touch of grimness. "Bunny saw to that on your
behalf. He considers--and with reason--that you have a right to ask
whoever you like to your own house."

"Jake!" Maud suddenly sat upright, her eyes burning like stars. "If Bunny
said tha