"Of course, you must be right," I said humbly. "I know you wouldn't be
likely to make a mistake, but, just to convince me, do you mind letting
me go back to look?"
"Not at all," she said placidly. "If I go with you there's no reason
why you should not look."
Oh, Mag, it was hard lines looking. Why?--Why, because the place was
so bare and so small. There were so few things to move and it took
such a short time, in spite of all I could do and pretend to do, that I
was in despair.
"You must be right," I said at length, looking woefully up at her.
"Yes; I knew I was," she said steadily.
"I must have lost it."
"Yes."
There was no hope there. I turned to go.
"I'll lend you a nickel to get home, if you'll leave me your address,"
she said after a moment.
Oh, that admirable woman! She ought to be ruling empires instead of
searching thieves. Look at the balance of her, Mag. My best acting
hadn't shaken her. She hadn't that fatal curiosity to understand
motives that wrecks so many who deal with--we'll call them the
temporarily un-straight. She was satisfied just not to let me get
ahead of her in the least particular. But she wasn't mean, and she
would lend me a nickel--not an emotionally extravagant ten-cent piece,
but just a nickel--on the chance that I was what I seemed to be.
Oh, I did admire her; but I'd have been more enthusiastic about it if I
could have seen my way clear to the baby and the paper.
I took the nickel and thanked her, but effusiveness left her unmoved.
A wholesome, blue-gowned rock with a neat, full-bibbed white apron;
that's what she was!
And still I lingered. Fancy Nance Olden just heartbroken at being
compelled to leave a police station!
But there was nothing for it. Go, I had to. My head was a-whirl with
schemes coming forward with suggestions and being dismissed as
unsuitable; my thoughts were flying about at such a dizzy rate while I
stood there in the doorway, the woman's patient hand on the knob and
her watchful eyes on me, that I actually--
Mag, I actually didn't hear the matron's voice the first time she spoke.
The second time, though, I turned--so happy I could not keep the tremor
out of my voice.
"I thought you had gone long ago," she said.
Oh, we were friends, we two! We'd chummed over a baby, which for women
is like what taking a drink together is for men. The admirable dragon
in the blue dress didn't waver a bit because her superior spoke
pleasantly to me. She only watched and listened.
Which puts you in a difficult position when your name's Nance
Olden--you have to tell the truth.
"I've been detained," I said with dignity, "against my wish. But that's
all over. I'm going now. Good-by." I nodded and caught up my skirt.
"Oh!" I paused just as the admirable dragon was closing the door on
me. "Is the baby asleep? I wonder if I might see her once more."
My heart was beating like an engine gone mad, in spite of my careless
tone, and there was a buzzing in my ears that deafened me. But I
managed to stand still and listen, and then to walk off, as though it
didn't matter in the least to me, while her words came smashing the
hope out of me.
"We've sent her with an officer back to the neighborhood where you
found her. He'll find out where she belongs, no doubt. Good day."