Margaret Cameron

“ So Keene turned his face to the sharp north wind and set off on his three-mile tramp up the track, plotting the downfall of that station agent as soon as he could get a letter to the division superintendent, but consoling himself that in walking to Macalac he should the sooner be able to return to the poor, anxious little mother the baby, who, exhausted by long outcry, had at last subsided into comparative quiet. ”

“ Infinite relief spoke in the tone. "Thank Heaven!"
"Where is she?"
"I haven't the faintest idea"—Keene smiled reassurance into the anxious eyes—"but I'm afraid she's somewhere between here and the next village—and I'm afraid she's frightened," he gently added. Then he told the story again, very quietly, to Florence Faulkner.
"Why, Ned," whispered Mrs. Logan, "he's very— Don't you find him attractive?" Her husband nodded, never taking his observant glance from the Californian's face. "And you really think—?"
Again he nodded. "Unquestionably, I'm afraid."
"But he seems so sane!" ”

“ Keene turned away, wrath in his heart, but discovering the grinning station agent leaning on the fence, he proceeded to the gate with as much dignity as he could command under the circumstances.
"Didn't make it work, did you?"
"Your town doesn't seem remarkable for its display of Christian charity and good will to man," said the Californian. ”

“ Keene had friends in San Francisco who spoke often of a Miss Bennett. He had been under the impression that her name was Laura, and had not heard that she had married, but reflected that certainly she was the best authority as to her name and state. In the mean time she was rapidly explaining that as neither she nor Mr. Logan had any relatives in the East, they had asked two or three equally detached friends to spend Christmas with them, and assured him that his presence would give the feast quite a family aspect to her, as it was so long since she had seen any one from "home." ”

“ Ya-ah! Yaa-a-a-a-a-a-a-aie!" demanded the baby, digging one fist into half-open eyes, and ineffectually trying to swallow the other. Sounds in the next room suddenly ceased.
"Has he come, Katie?" asked a woman's voice—the pleasant voice he had heard over the telephone. The maid's reply was lost in another outburst from his ward, whom he succeeded in quieting somewhat.
"OREN!" SHE EXCLAIMED. "THAT SOUNDS LIKE BRUDDER!"
"What!" he next heard. "Oh no! Impossible! Ned, he's come, and he says his name is Franklin Keene."
"Well, I'll be jiggered!" replied a man. "Keene, eh? Franklin Keene? ”

“ Keene shrugged his shoulders and passed on to a pleasant-looking house, well back from the street. He rang the bell and waited; the baby wailed and the station agent hung over the gate. Presently Keene rang again, and again waited.
"Might as well quit when you get tired," called his tormentor. "There ain't nobody home." ”

“ Since his chivalrous adventure Keene had not before remembered the Logans and their dinner.
"First south-bound train, six-twelve."
"But—oh, she'll never wait for that! I tell you she was frantic! She'll walk back!"
"Oh, sure she will! Huh!"
"And I—see here, you've got to help me out of this! There's a good fellow! You take charge of this youngster until the mother—"
"Not on your life!" Keene produced a ten-dollar bill, but the man continued to back away, repeating: "No, sir, not on your life! I have trouble enough of my own!"
"But I'm due in Macalac—how far is that?"
"Next station. ”

“ He resolved to appeal to some kind-hearted woman in the neighborhood to give the baby care and shelter until the mother's return, and accordingly betook himself to a near-by cottage, the sinister station agent lounging observantly behind. ”

“ You don't think a young one o' that age drinks milk, do you?" Then, as he flushed hotly, she added with severity: "My advice to you, young man, is to take that poor, sufferin' child back to wherever you got it from, just as soon as the Lord 'll let you. ”

“ The longest-living author of this work died in 1947, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 76 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works. ”