under the
apron. "It's down in the carriage. Could I have a little boiling
water to heat it, if you please?"

"Assuredly," said the Princess. "Ellis, will you get the--the bottle
from the baby's carriage and some boiling water, please. Do you mix
it here?"

"Mix--the food is all prepared, Madam." Delia spoke with repressed
scorn. "I only want to heat it for him."

"Oh, in that case, Ellis, take it down and have it heated, or," as
the nurse half rose, "perhaps you would feel better about it if you
attended to it yourself?"

"Yes, I think I will go down if you don't mind--when persons aren't
used to 'em they're apt to be a little careless, and I wouldn't have
it break, and him losing his three o'clock bottle, for the world.
You know how it is...."

The Princess shook her head whimsically. "But surely you will leave
the baby," and she moved toward them again. "I will hold it," with a
half grimace at her own condescension. "It seems so very good and
cheerful--I thought they cried. Will it come to me?"

Delia loosened her arms, but tightened them again as the little
creature leaned forward to catch at the swinging lace on the lady's
gown.

"I--I think I'll take baby with me. Thank you just the same, and
he'll go to any one--yes, indeed--but I feel so sort of nervous, I
think I'd better take him. If anything should happen.... Wave your
hand good-by--now, General!"

The General flapped his arms violently, and bestowed a toothless but
affectionate grin upon the wearer of the fascinating, swaying lace,
before he disappeared with the delighted Ellis in the van.

"And can you buy all that devotion for twenty, thirty, or is it
forty dollars a month, I wonder?" mused the Princess.

"Dear me," she added petulantly. "It really makes one actually
_want_ to hold it! It seems a jolly little rat--they're not all like
that, are they? They howl, I'm sure."

Again Miss Honey took the floor.

"When babies are sick, or you don't treat them right," she announced
didactically, "they cry, but not a well baby, Delia says. I"--with
conscious pride--"screamed night and day for two weeks!"

"Really!" observed the Princess. "That must have been--er--trying
for your family!"

"Worried to death!" Miss Honey rejoined airily, with such an adult
intonation that the Princess started.

"The General, he just laughs all the time," Caroline volunteered,
"unless you tease him," she added guiltily, "and then he squawks."

"Yes, indeed," Mi