felicitations and passing chocolate. She enjoyed the distinction of
being the God behind the curtain.

A few days later the knowledge that she herself was to become a mother
was forced upon her attention, and was a little irksome. Of necessity
her new interests would be interrupted. Though she did not question that
she would perform maternal duties fitly and fully, they seemed to her
less peculiarly adapted to her than concerns of the intellect and the
spirit. However, the possession of a little daughter was more precious
to her than she had expected, and the consciousness that the tiny doll
which lay upon her breast, was flesh of her flesh and bone of her bone
affected her agreeably and stirred her imagination. It should be reared,
from the start, in the creed of soul independence and expansion, and she
herself would find a new and sacred duty in catering to the needs of
this budding intelligence. So she reflected as she lay in bed, but the
outlook was a little marred by the thought that the baby was the living
image of its father--broad-featured and burly--not altogether desirable
cast of countenance for a girl. What a pity, when it might just as well
have looked like her.

Babcock, on his part, was transported by paternity. He was bubbling over
with appreciation of the new baby, and fondly believed it to be a human
wonder. He was solicitous on the score of its infantile ailments, and
loaded it with gifts and toys beyond the scope of its enjoyment. He went
about the house whistling more exuberantly than ever. There was no speck
on his horizon; no fly in his pot of ointment. It was he who urged that
the child should be christened promptly, though Dr. Glynn was not
disposed to dwell on the clerical barbarism as to the destiny of
unbaptized infants. Babcock was cultivating a conservative method: He
realized that there was no object in taking chances. Illogical as was