hy, woman, I love children better than anything on earth. They're a
precious lot of bother, there's no denying, and sometimes I get that
impatient with one or the other of 'em I could toss him out the window.
But for all their hectoring, and their noise, and their dirt--their
meddling, and smashing, and mending, I'd not be without them."

While speaking she had been touching the baby with a hand so yearning
and tender that it could not be stayed. She had raised his head,
smoothed his pillow, straightened the coverings that lay over him. It
was amazing how quietly and deftly her hands moved. Even the child
seemed conscious of her healing presence, for all of a sudden his wee
fingers curled about one of hers and he smiled faintly.

"See!" exclaimed Mrs. McGregor, "the baby is not afraid to trust me."

"Nor am I any longer," put in Julie with eager surrender. "Do as you
like with Joey. You know better than I."

"Oh, it isn't that," the visitor protested, rising. "It is just that
it's sometimes well not to leave a stone unturned. You might regret not
having taken the chance. I'll slip upstairs and get the medicine. It
won't take a minute."

"If you'll be that kind."

The Scotchwoman needed no second bidding. She was gone and back again
in a twinkling, the magic green bottle in her hand.

"Now if I might have a cup of hot water," said she. "I've a dropper
here. We'll see what a spoonful of this mixture will do for the wee
laddie. What is his name?"

"Joey."

Mrs. O'Dowd's eyes had brightened and they now beamed on her neighbor.

"It's a nice name," replied Mrs. McGregor, beaming in turn. "I always
liked the name of Joseph. Well, Joey boy, we'll see if we can make you
well. Here, little fellow!"

Gently she forced the liquid between the baby's lips.

"Now we'll sponge him a bit, put on a fresh slip, and give him some
air!"

"But won't he----"

"Catch cold? Not if he is shielded from the draught. He'll like the air
and feel the better for it. It will help him to breathe."

Noiselessly she went to work and within an hour both Joey and his
surroundings took on a different aspect.

"Now," said she to the grateful mother, "you roll up in that comforter
and take a nap. Don't worry about the baby. I'll be right here. Will
you trust me?"

Julie hesitated.

"It's not that I won't trust you," murmured she. "But you're so
heavenly kind. Not another soul has done for me what you have and I'm a
hundred times better