sickly face quite radiant; "and its eyes are the image of yours. He's
asleep now, you know, and you can't see them. And look at the dear,
darling little hands and fingers and feet, and the speck of a nose and
the dot of a mouth! Oh papa! isn't it splendid to have a baby in the
house?"

"Very splendid," said papa, relaxing into a smile. "A fine little
fellow, nurse! There, cover him up again and let him sleep. We must
take extra care of the heir of Kingsland Court. And Mildred, child,
you should be in bed. One o'clock is no hour for little girls to be
out of their nests."

"Oh, papa! as if I could sleep and not see the baby!"

"Well, you have seen it, and now run away to your room. Mamma and baby
both want to sleep, and nurse doesn't need you, I am sure."

"That I don't," said nurse, "nor the doctor, either. So run away, Miss
Milly, and go to sleep yourself. The baby will be here, all safe for
you, in the morning."

The little girl--a flaxen-haired, pretty-featured child--kissed the
baby, kissed papa, and dutifully departed. Sir Jasper followed her out
of the room, down the stairs, and back into the library, with the face
of a man who has just been reprieved from sudden death. As he
re-entered the library, he paused and started a step back, gazing
fixedly at one of the windows. The heavy curtain had been partially
drawn back, and a white, spectral face was glued to the glass, glaring
in.