about? But
first, where's my godchild? I've brought her the loveliest presents! Let
me at her!"

"All right," said Patty, laughing at her impatience, "come right along
to the nursery before you take your hat off."

The two went to the nursery, and Patty softly opened the door. But the
room was empty.

"That's funny," Patty said, "Winnie always has baby here at this hour.
She takes her morning nap about now. Where can they be?"

The bassinette was disordered, as if the child had been taken from it,
and Patty looked at it in amazement. She ran around to several adjoining
rooms, and returned, with a frightened face.

"Elise, there's no sign of Baby or Winnie anywhere! What does it mean?"

"Goodness! _I_ don't know! Did the nurse go down to see her beau,--and
take the baby with her?"

Just then Nurse Winnie appeared: "Here's the food, Mrs. Farnsworth,"
she said, showing a bowl of steaming white liquid. "It's all ready."

"What food?" said Patty, mystified.

"Miss Thorpe came here fifteen minutes ago, and said you ordered me to a
make a bowl of prepared food,--that Fleurette was not getting enough
nourishment."

"Why, I did nothing of the sort! Where is Miss Thorpe? And where is the
baby?"

"I don't know," and Winnie looked as if she thought Patty was crazy.
"Don't you know, ma'am?"

CHAPTER VIII

MISSING!

Elise gave one glance at Patty's white, scared face and one glance
At Nurse Winnie's red, frightened face, and then she herself began
To scream.

"Stop that, Elise!" Patty cried, "it's bad enough to have my baby
kidnapped, without your yelling like a Comanche! Hush, I tell you!"

But Elise wouldn't, or couldn't hush. The word "kidnapped" upset any
composure she may have had left, and she burst into hysterical sobbing.

"Of course," she said brokenly, between sobs, "she's kidnapped! You and
Bill are so--so wealthy and grand--she's just the child the kidnappers
would pick out for ransom--and--"

"Don't--don't, Elise," begged Patty, her voice shaking; "I don't believe
she's kidnapped at all. It's far more likely Azalea took her out for a
ride or something. She's crazy over the baby and she always wants to
have her to herself, but, she says, Winnie won't let her."

"And indeed not!" spoke up the nurse. "Miss Thorpe,--she tosses the
child about in a way that'd fair curdle your blood! That she does!"

"That's true," said Patty. "You see, Bill pitches baby around just as he
likes, and so Azalea