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He reached the lower hall； which he knew was a favorite promenade
for the nurses who were gathered at the farther end； where a large
window looked upon Montgomery Street。 But Norah； the Irish nurse；
was not among them； he passed through several corridors in his
search； but in vain。 At last； worried and a little anxious； he
turned to regain his rooms through the long saloon where he had
found his wife previously。 It was deserted now； the last caller
had lefteven frivolity had its prescribed limits。 He was
consequently startled by a gentle murmur from one of the heavily
curtained window recesses。 It was a woman's voicelow； sweet；
caressing； and filled with an almost pathetic tenderness。 And it
was followed by a distinct gurgling satisfied crow。
Barker turned instantly in that direction。 A step brought him to
the curtain； where a singular spectacle presented itself。
Seated on a lounge； completely absorbed and possessed by her
treasure； was the 〃horrid woman〃 whom his wife had indicated only a
little while ago； holding a babyKitty's sacred babyin her
wanton lap！ The child was feebly grasping the end of the slender
jeweled necklace which the woman held temptingly dangling from a
thin white jeweled finger above it。 But its eyes were beaming with
an intense delight； as if trying to respond to the deep；
concentrated love in the handsome face that was bent above it。
At the sudden intrusion of Barker she looked up。 There was a faint
rise in her color； but no loss of sell…possession。
〃Please don't scold the nurse；〃 she said； 〃nor say anything to Mrs。
Barker。 It is all my fault。 I thought that both the nurse and
child looked dreadfully bored with each other； and I borrowed the
little fellow for a while to try and amuse him。 At least I haven't
made him cry； have I； dear？〃 The last epithet； it is needless to
say； was addressed to the little creature in her lap； but in its
tender modulation it touched the father's quick sympathies as if he
had shared it with the child。 〃You see；〃 she said softly；
disengaging the baby fingers from her necklace； 〃that OUR sex is
not the only one tempted by jewelry and glitter。〃
Barker hesitated； the Madonna…like devotion of a moment ago was
gone； it was only the woman of the world who laughingly looked up
at him。 Nevertheless he was touched。 〃Have youeverhad a
child； Mrs。 Horncastle？〃 he asked gently and hesitatingly。 He had
a vague recollection that she passed for a widow； and in his simple
eyes all women were virgins or married saints。
〃No；〃 she said abruptly。 Then she added with a laugh； 〃Or perhaps
I should not admire them so much。 I suppose it's the same feeling
bachelors have for other people's wives。 But I know you're dying
to take that boy from me。 Take him； then； and don't be ashamed to
carry him yourself just because I'm here； you know you would
delight to do it if I weren't。〃
Barker bent over the silken lap in which the child was comfortably
nestling； and in that attitude had a faint consciousness that Mrs。
Horncastle was mischievously breathing into his curls a silent
laugh。 Barker lifted his firstborn with proud skillfulness； but
that sagacious infant evidently knew when he was comfortable； and
in a paroxysm of objection caught his father's curls with one fist；
while with the other he grasped Mrs。 Horncastle's brown braids and
brought their heads into contact。 Upon which humorous situation
Norah； the nurse； entered。
〃It's all right； Norah；〃 said Mrs。 Horncastle； laughing； as she
disengaged herself from the linking child。 〃Mr。 Barker has claimed
the baby； and has agreed to forgive you and me and say nothing to
Mrs。 Barker。〃 Norah； with the inscrutable criticism of her sex on
her sex； thought it extremely probable； and halted with
exasperating discretion。 〃There；〃 continued Mrs。 Horncastle；
playfully evading the child's further advances； 〃go with papa；
that's a dear。 Mr。 Barker prefers to carry him back； Norah。〃
〃But；〃 said the ingenuous and persistent Barker； still lingering in
hopes of recalling the woman's previous expression； 〃you DO love
children； and you think him a bright little chap for his age？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Mrs。 Horncastle； putting back her loosened braid； 〃so
round and fat and soft。 And such a discriminating eye for jewelry。
Really you ought to get a necklace like mine for Mrs。 Barkerit
would please both； you know。〃 She moved slowly away； the united
efforts of Norah and Barker scarcely sufficing to restrain the
struggling child from leaping after her as she turned at the door
and blew him a kiss。
When Barker regained his room he found that Mrs。 Barker had
dismissed Stacy from her mind except so far as to invoke Norah's
aid in laying out her smartest gown for dinner。 〃But why take all
this trouble； dear？〃 said her simple…minded husband； 〃we are going
to dine in a private room so that we can talk over old times all by
ourselves； and any dress would suit him。 And； Lord； dear！〃 he
added； with a quick brightening at the fancy； 〃if you could only
just rig yourself up in that pretty lilac gown you used to wear at
Boomvilleit would be too killing； and just like old times。 I put
it away myself in one of our trunksI couldn't bear to leave it
behind； I know just where it is。 I'll〃 But Mrs。 Barker's
restraining scorn withheld him。
〃George Barker； if you think I am going to let you throw away and
utterly WASTE Mr。 Stacy on us； alone； in a private room with closed
doorsand I dare say you'd like to sit in your dressing…gown and
slippersyou are entirely mistaken。 I know what is due； not to
your old partner； but to the great Mr。 Stacy； the financier； and I
know what is due FROM HIM TO US！ No！ We dine in the great dining…
room； publicly； and； if possible； at the very next table to those
stuck…up Peterburys and their Eastern friends； including that
horrid woman； which； I'm sure； ought to satisfy you。 Then you can
talk as much as you like； and as loud as you like； about old
times；and the louder and the more the better；but I don't think
HE'LL like it。〃
〃But the baby！〃 expostulated Barker。 〃Stacy's just wild to see
himand we can't bring him down to the tablethough we MIGHT；〃 he
added； momentarily brightening。
〃After dinner；〃 said Mrs。 Barker severely； 〃we will walk through
the big drawing…rooms； and THEN Mr。 Stacy may come upstairs and see
him in his crib； but not before。 And now； George； I do wish that
to…night； FOR ONCE； you would not wear a turn…down collar； and that
you would go to the barber's and have him cut your hair and smooth
out the curls。 And； for Heaven's sake！ let him put some wax or gum
or SOMETHING on your mustache and twist it up on your cheek like
Captain Heath's； for it positively droops over your mouth like a
girl's ringlet。 It's quite enough for me to hear people talk of
your inexperience； but really I don't want you to look as if I had
run away with a pretty schoolboy。 And； considering the size of
that child； it's positively disgraceful。 And； one thing more；
George。 When I'm talking to anybody； please don't sit opposite to
me； beaming with delight； and your mouth open。 And don't roar if
by chance I say something funny。 Andwhatever you dodon't make
eyes at me in company whenever I happen to allude to you； as I did
before Captain Heath。 It is positively too ridiculous。〃
Nothing could exceed the laughing good humor with which her husband
received these cautions； nor the evident sincerity with which he
promised amendment。 Equally sincere was he； though a little more
thoughtful； in his severe self…examination of his deficiencies；
when； later； he seated himself at the window with one hand softly
encompassing his child's chubby fist in the crib beside him； and；
in the instinctive fashion of all loneliness； looked out of the
window。 The southern trades were whipping the waves of the distant
bay and harbor into yeasty crests。 Sheets of rain swept the
sidewalks with the regularity of a fusillade； against which a few
pedestrians struggled with flapping waterproofs and slanting
umbrellas。 He could look along the deserted length of Montgomery
Street to the heights of Telegraph Hill and its long…disused
semaphore。 It seemed lonelier to him than the mile…long sweep of
Heavy Tree Hill； writhing against the mountain wind and its aeolian
song。 He had never felt so lonely THERE。 In his rigid self…
examination he thought Kitty right in protesting against the effect
of his youthfulness and optimism。 Yet he was also right in being
himself。 There is an egoism in the highest simplicity； and Barker；
while willing to believe in others' methods； never abandoned his
own aims。 He was right in loving Kitty as he did； he knew that she
was better and more lovable than she could believe herself to be；
but he was willing to believe it pained and discomposed her if he
showed it before company。 He wou