problem can be solved, the child will do it."




[Illustration]

IV


Well, the problem never was solved, never in this world, at least; and
those who were in the sitting-room chamber when Eva was shown her two
babies lying side by side on a pillow, never forgot the quick glance
of horrified incredulity, or the shriek of aversion with which she
greeted them.

Letty had a sense of humor, and it must be confessed that when the
scorned and discarded babies were returned to her, and she sat by the
kitchen stove trying to plan a second bottle, a second cradle, and see
how far the expected baby could divide its modest outfit with the
unexpected one, she burst into a fit of hysterical laughter mingled
with an outpour of tears.

The doctor came in from the sick-room puzzled and crestfallen from his
interview with an entirely new specimen of woman-kind. He had brought
Letty and David into the world and soothed the last days of all her
family, and now in this tragedy--for tragedy it was--he was her only
confidant and adviser.

Letty looked at him, the tears streaming from her eyes.