him."

"H'm!" The young father regarded the little face with amused,
speculative eyes. "`Pert' does not commend itself to me as precisely
the best word which could be found. Solemn little beggar, I call him!
He seems quite oppressed by the wickedness of the world. I say, that's
rather a peculiar mouth, isn't it? Something funny about the upper
lip!"

"It's exactly like yours--the image of it!" said Esmeralda firmly. "You
can't judge because naturally you can't see yourself. But it really is.
Look at that old picture when you were two years old."

Geoffrey stroked his moustache to one side, and regarded himself
critically in the mirror.

"Oh, well, there's hope for him yet!" he pronounced complacently. "I
suppose babies are all ugly in the beginning, but considering his
parentage he ought to come out all right by and by. How long do you
suppose it will be before he gets his hair, and begins to be
intelligible?"

"He has hair now, and he is beginning to speak. He said `Coo-oo!' this
afternoon quite distinctly. It's horrid of you, Geoff, to call him
ugly! Everyone says he is a beautiful boy and the image of you!"

"Much more chance of being beautiful if he were like you, darling!
Spoke, did he? Well, I take your word for it, but it's rather a stretch
of imagination. He is a jolly little chap, anyway, and I'm very proud
of him. Here is nurse coming to take possession. Hand him over and
come along with me. I have something to tell you."

"Something nice, I hope! I want a distraction," said Esmeralda
wistfully. She slid her hand through her husband's arm as they walked
down the corridor and peered up in his face. "Somebody was rather
vicious this afternoon! I'm sorry you put me in a temper. It's stupid
to quarrel when we are so fond of one another. You'll never do it
again, will you?"

"Never, never! It was all my fault, and I apologise abjectly to your
temper for taking liberties with it. I ought to know by this time that
it's in delicate health. Never mind, I've planned a delightful
programme for you! What would you like best for a Christmas present if
you had the choice?"

He was all radiant with smiles, but Esmeralda sighed, and a far-away
expression came into her beautiful grey eyes.

"I'd like--Oh, what's the use of speaking of it, Geoff? They can't
come, and that's all about it! I haven't thought of any present. I
don't seem to care about anything else."

"Whisper!" cried Ge