about to show them over
the Works, but his Worship insists that I come at once.'

'Certainly,' the Mayor put in pompously.

'Wonders will never cease,' came the thin voice of Mrs Blackshaw
through the telephone. 'It's very nice of the old thing! What's his
lady friend like?'

'Not like anything. Unique!' replied Mr Blackshaw.

'Young?' came the voice.

'Dates from the thirties,' said Mr Blackshaw. 'I'm coming.' And rang
off.

'I didn't know there was any electric machinery as old as that,' said
the mayoral aunt.

'We'll just look about us a bit,' the Mayor remarked. 'Don't lose a
moment, Mr Blackshaw.'

And Mr Blackshaw hurried off, wondering vaguely how he should explain
the lie when it was found out, but not caring much. After all, he could
easily ascribe the episode to the trick of some practical joker.

III

He arrived at his commodious and electrically lit residence in the very
nick of time, and full to overflowing with innocent paternal glee. Was
he not about to see Roger's tub? Roger was just ready to be carried
upstairs as Mr Blackshaw's latchkey turned in the door.

'Wait a sec!' cried Mr Blackshaw to his wife, who had the child in her
arms, 'I'll carry him up.'

And he threw away his hat, stick, and overcoat and grabbed ecstatically
at the infant. And he had got perhaps halfway up the stairs, when lo!
the electric light went out. Every electric light in the house went out.

'Great Scott!' breathed Mr Blackshaw, aghast.

He pulled aside the blind of the window at the turn of the stairs, and
peered forth. The street was as black as your hat, or nearly so.

'Great Scott!' he repeated. 'May, get candles.'

Something had evidently gone wrong at the Works. Just his luck! He had
quitted the Works for a quarter of an hour, and the current had failed!

Of course, the entire house was instantly in an uproar, turned upside
down, startled out of its life. But a few candles soon calmed its
transports. And at length Mr Blackshaw gained the bedroom in safety,
with the offspring of his desires comfortable in a shawl.

'Give him to me,' said May shortly. 'I suppose you'll have to go back
to the Works at once?'

Mr Blackshaw paused, and then nerved himself; but while he was pausing,
May, glancing at the two feeble candles, remarked: 'It's very tiresome.
I'm sure I shan't be able to see properly.'

'No!' almost shouted Mr Blackshaw. 'I'll watch this kid have his bath
or I'll die for it! I don't