Baby off for a
whole day,--and two or three times for an afternoon or a morning! Oh, I
can't _stand_ it!"

Patty buried her face in her hands and refused to look up while Azalea
rode the galloping horse, with the child held fast in one arm.

Mona felt it must be true. To be sure she couldn't really recognise
Fleurette's face, but she was certain that Patty's mother heart could
make no mistake, and it was small wonder that she was overcome at seeing
her child in such scenes.

"Hush, Patty," said Mona, as Patty's sobs began to sound hysterical,
"hush,--this is only a picture, you know,--this isn't really
Fleurette,--she is safe at home--"

"But she must have been here! Azalea _must_ have carried her,
_really_--on that terrific horse! They couldn't have got the pictures
if she hadn't!"

"Well, it's all right, anyway. It didn't hurt the baby--"

"Oh, hush, Mona! you don't know what I'm suffering! I guess if your baby
had been taken off and put through such awful doings, you'd know what I
feel! My baby,--my little flower baby! In that awful crashing, tumbling
down old shanty! Oh, I _can't_ stand it!"

"Let's go out, Patty, there's no reason for us to stay longer."

"Yes, let's," and gathering up her wraps, Patty rose to go.

They made their way out of the dark, crowded place, and finding the
motor-car, they went straight home.

Once there, Patty flew to the nursery, and fairly snatching the baby
from Nurse Winnie's arms, she held it close, and crooned loving little
broken songs.

"You're all right," Mona said, laughing at her. "You've got your baby,
safe and sound,--now just sit down there and enjoy her for a while."

This Patty gladly did, and Mona went in search of Farnsworth.

She finally found him, down in a distant garden, where he was looking
after some planting matters.

"Come along o' me," she said, smiling at him.

Wonderingly Farnsworth looked up.

"Thought you girls went to the city," he said.

"We did,--also, we returned. Patty is in the nursery, and I want a few
minutes' talk with you."

"O.K.," and the big man gave some parting instructions to a gardener and
then went off with Mona. She led him to a nearby arbour, and commenced
at once.

"You and I are old friends," she said, "and so I'm going to take an
old friend's privilege and give you some advice, and also ask a few
questions. First, who is Azalea?"

"My two or three times removed cousin."

"Are you sure?"

Farnsworth looked