with　cheerful　tactlessness。　　‘‘They　said　you　did；
  but；　I　declare；　you　look　worse　than　I　thought。''
  Billy's　pale　face　reddened　perceptibly。
  ‘‘Nonsense！　　It's　just　that　I'm　soso　tired；''
  she　insisted。　　‘‘I　shall　be　all　right　soon。　　How
  did　you　leave　the　children？''
  ‘‘Well；　and　happy'specially　little　Kate；
  because　mother　was　going　away。　　Kate　is　mistress；
  you　know；　when　I'm　gone；　and　she　takes
  herself　very　seriously。''
  ‘‘Mistress！　　A　little　thing　like　her！　　Why；　she
  can't　be　more　than　ten　or　eleven；''　murmured
  Billy。
  ‘‘She　isn't。　　She　was　ten　last　month。　　But
  you'd　think　she　was　forty；　the　airs　she　gives
  herself；　sometimes。　　Oh；　of　course　there's　Nora；　and
  the　cook；　and　Miss　Winton；　the　governess；　there
  to　really　manage　things；　and　Mother　Hartwell
  is　just　around　the　corner；　but　little　Kate　_thinks_
  she's　managing；　so　she's　happy。''
  Billy　suppressed　a　smile。　　Billy　was　thinking
  that　little　Kate　came　naturally　by　at　least　one
  of　her　traits。
  ‘‘Really；　that　child　is　impossible；　sometimes；''
  resumed　Mrs。　Hartwell；　with　a　sigh。　　‘‘You
  know　the　absurd　things　she　was　always　saying
  two　or　three　years　ago；　when　we　came　on　to
  Cyril's　wedding。''
  ‘‘Yes；　I　remember。''
  ‘‘Well；　I　thought　she　would　get　over　it。　　But
  she　doesn't。　　She's　worse；　if　anything；　and　sometimes
  her　insight；　or　intuition；　or　whatever　you
  may　call　it；　is　positively　uncanny。　　I　never　know
  what　she's　going　to　remark　next；　when　I　take　her
  anywhere；　but　it's　safe　to　say；　whatever　it　is；　it'll
  be　unexpected　and　_usually_　embarrassing　to　somebody。
  Andis　that　the　baby？''　broke　off　Mrs。
  Hartwell；　as　a　cooing　laugh　and　a　woman's　voice
  came　from　the　next　room。
  ‘‘Yes。　　The　nurse　has　just　brought　him　in；　I
  think；''　said　Billy。
  ‘‘Then　I'll　go　right　now　and　see　him；''
  rejoined　Kate；　rising　to　her　feet　and　hurrying　into
  the　next　room。
  Left　alone；　Billy　lay　back　wearily　in　her
  reclining…chair。　　She　wondered　why　Kate　always
  tired　her　so。　　She　wished　she　had　had　on　her　blue
  kimono；　then　perhaps　Kate　would　not　have
  thought　she　looked　so　badly。　　Blue　was　always
  more　becoming　to　her　than
  Billy　turned　her　head　suddenly。　　From　the
  next　room　had　come　Kate's　clear…cut；　decisive
  voice。
  ‘‘Oh；　no；　I　don't　think　he　looks　a　bit　like　his
  father。　　That　little　snubby　nose　was　never　the
  Henshaw　nose。''
  Billy　drew　in　her　breath　sharply；　and　pulled
  herself　half　erect　in　her　chair。　　From　the　next
  room　came　Kate's　voice　again；　after　a　low　murmur
  from　the　nurse。
  ‘‘Oh；　but　he　isn't；　I　tell　you。　　He　isn't　one　bit
  of　a　Henshaw　baby！　　The　Henshaw　babies　are
  always　_pretty_　ones。　　They　have　more　hair；　and
  they　lookwell；　different。''
  Billy　gave　a　low　cry；　and　struggled　to　her　feet。
  ‘‘Oh；　no；''　spoke　up　Kate；　in　answer　to
  another　indistinct　something　from　the　nurse。　　‘‘I
  don't　think　he's　near　as　pretty　as　the　twins。　　Of
  course　the　twins　are　a　good　deal　older；　but　they
  have　such　a　_bright_　look；and　they　did　have；
  from　the　very　first。　　I　saw　it　in　their　tiniest　baby
  pictures。　　But　this　baby''
  ‘‘_This_　baby　is　_mine_；　please；''　cut　in　a
  tremulous；　but　resolute　voice；　and　Mrs。　Hartwell
  turned　to　confront　Bertram；　Jr。's　mother；
  manifestly　weak　and　trembling；　but　no　less
  manifestly　blazing…eyed　and　determined。
  ‘‘Why；　Billy！''　expostulated　Mrs。　Hartwell；
  as　Billy　stumbled　forward　and　snatched　the　child
  into　her　arms。
  ‘‘Perhaps　he　doesn't　look　like　the　Henshaw
  babies。　　Perhaps　he　isn't　as　pretty　as　the　twins。
  Perhaps　he　hasn't　much　hair；　and　does　have　a
  snub　nose。　　He's　my　baby　just　the　same；　and　I
  shall　not　stay　calmly　by　and　see　him　abused！
  Besides；　_I_　think　he's　prettier　than　the　twins　ever
  thought　of　being；　and　he's　got　all　the　hair　I　want
  him　to　have；　and　his　nose　is　just　exactly　what　a
  baby's　nose　ought　to　be！''　　And；　with　a　superb
  gesture；　Billy　turned　and　bore　the　baby　away。
  CHAPTER　XXIII
  BILLY　AND　THE　ENORMOUS　RESPONSIBILITY
  When　the　doctor　heard　from　the　nurse　of　Mrs。
  Hartwell's　visit　and　what　had　come　of　it；　he　only
  gave　a　discreet　smile；　as　befitted　himself　and　the
  occasion；　but　to　his　wife　privately；　that　night；
  the　doctor　said；　when　he　had　finished　telling　the
  story：
  ‘‘And　I　couldn't　have　prescribed　a　better　pill
  if　I'd　tried！''
  ‘‘_Pill_Mrs。　Hartwell！　　Oh；　Harold；''　reproved
  the　doctor's　wife；　mildly。
  But　the　doctor　only　chuckled　the　more；　and
  said：
  ‘‘You　wait　and　see。''
  If　Billy's　friends　were　worried　before　because
  of　her　lassitude　and　lack　of　ambition；　they　were
  almost　as　worried　now　over　her　amazing　alertness
  and　insistent　activity。　　Day　by　day；　almost　hour
  by　hour；　she　seemed　to　gain　in　strength；　and　every
  bit　she　acquired　she　promptly　tested　almost　to
  the　breaking　point；　so　plainly　eager　was　she　to
  be　well　and　strong。　　And　always；　from　morning
  until　night；　and　again　from　night　until　morning；
  the　pivot　of　her　existence；　around　which　swung
  all　thoughts；　words；　actions；　and　plans；　was　the
  sturdy　little　plump…cheeked；　firm…fleshed　atom
  of　humanity　known　as　Bertram；　Jr。　　Even　Aunt
  Hannah　remonstrated　with　her　at　last。
  ‘‘But；　Billy；　dear；''　she　exclaimed；　‘‘one　would
  almost　get　the　idea　that　you　thought　there　wasn't
  a　thing　in　the　world　but　that　baby！''
  Billy　laughed。
  ‘‘Well；　do　you　know；　sometimes　I　'most　think
  there　isn't；''　she　retorted　unblushingly。
  ‘‘Billy！''　protested　Aunt　Hannah；　then；　a
  little　severely；　she　demanded：　　‘‘And　who　was　it
  that　just　last　September　was　calling　this　same
  only…object…in…the…world　a　third　person　in　your
  home？''
  ‘‘Third　person；　indeed！　　Aunt　Hannah；　did　I？
  Did　I　really　say　such　a　dreadful　thing　as　that？
  But　I　didn't　know；　then；　of　course。　　I　couldn't
  know　how　perfectly　wonderful　a　baby　is；　especially
  such　a　baby　as　Bertram；　Jr。；　is。　　Why；　Aunt　Hannah；
  that　little　thing　knows　a　whole　lot　already。
  He's　known　me　for　weeks；　I　know　he　has。　　And
  ages　and　ages　ago　he　began　to　give　me　little　smiles
  when　he　saw　me。　　They　were　smilesreal　smiles！
  Oh；　yes；　I　know　nurse　said　they　weren't　smiles　at
  the　first；''　admitted　Billy；　in　answer　to　Aunt
  Hannah's　doubting　expression。　　‘‘I　know　nurse　said
  it　was　only　wind　on　his　stomach。　　Think　of　it
  wind　on　his　stomach！　　Just　as　if　I　didn't　know　the
  difference　between　my　own　baby's　smile　and　wind
  on　his　stomach！　　And　you　don't　know　how　soon
  he　began　to　follow　my　moving　finger　with　his
  eyes！''
  ‘‘Yes；　I　tried　that　one　day；　I　remember；''
  observed　Aunt　Hannah　demurely。　　‘‘I　moved　my
  finger。　　He　looked　at　the　ceiling_fixedly_。''
  ‘‘Well；　probably　he　_wanted_　to　look　at　the
  ceiling；　then；''　defended　the　young　mother；　promptly。
  ‘‘I'm　sure　I　wouldn't　give　a　snap　for　a　baby　if　he
  didn't　sometimes　have　a　mind　of　his　own；　and
  exercise　it！''
  ‘‘Oh；　Billy；　Billy；''　laughed　Aunt　Hannah；
  with　a　shake　of　her　head　as　Billy　turned　away；
  chin　uptilted。
  By　the　time　Bertram；　Jr。；　was　three　months
  old；　Billy　was　unmistakably　her　old　happy；　merry
  self；　strong　and　well。　　Affairs　at　the　Strata　once
  more　were　moving　as　by　clockworkonly　this
  time　it　was　a　baby's　hand　that　set　the　clock；　and
  that　wound　it；　too。
  Billy　told　her　husband　very　earnestly　that　now
  they　had　entered　upon　a　period　of　Enormous
  Responsibility。　　The　Life；　Character；　and　Destiny
  of　a　Human　Soul　was　intrusted　to　their　care；　and
  they　must　be　Wise；　Faithful；　and　Efficient。　　They
  must　be　at　once　Proud　and　Humble　at　this
  their　Great　Opportunity。　　They　must　Observe；
  Learn；　and　Practice。　　First　and　foremost　in　their
  eyes　must　always　be　this　wonderful　Important
  Trust。
  Bertram　laughed　at　first　very　heartily　at　Billy's
  instructions；　which；　he　declared；　were　so　bristling
  with　capitals　that　he　could　fairly　see　them　drop
  from　her　lips。　　Then；　when　he　found　how　really
  very　much　in　earnest　she　was；　and　how　hurt　she
  was　at　his　levity；　he　managed　to　pull　his　face　into
  something　like　sobriety　while　she　talked　to　him；
  though　he　did　persist　in　dropping　kisses　on　her
  cheeks；　her　chin；　her　finger…tips；　her　hair；　and　the
  little　pink　lobes　of　her　ears‘‘just　by　way　of
  punctuation''　to　her　sentences；　he　said。　　And　he
  told　her　that　he　wasn't　really　slighting　her　lips；
  only　that　they　moved　so　fast　he　could　not　catch
  them。　　Whereat　Billy　pouted；　and　told　him　severely
  that　he　was　a　bad；　naughty　boy；　and　that
  he　did　not　deserve　to　be　the　father　of　the　dearest；
  most　wonderful　baby　in　the　world。
  ‘‘No；　I　know　I　don't；''　beamed　Bertram；　with
  cheerful　unrepentance；　‘‘but　I　am；　just　the　same；''
  he　finished　triumphantly。　　And　this　time　he　contrived
  to　find　his　wife's　lips。
  ‘‘Oh；　Bertram；''　sighed　Billy；　despairingly。
  ‘‘You're　an　old　dear；　of　course；　and　one　just
  can't　be　cross　with　you；　but　you　don't；　you　just
  _don't_　realize　your　Immense　Responsibility。''
  ‘‘Oh；　yes；　I　do；''　main