The moment the two girls had Mr. Fabian outside of the Studio, where
they could talk in perfect freedom, they told him of their secret plan.
"We are going to keep the baby for a few weeks and see that he is
perfectly trained, then we are going to present him to dear Mr. Dalken,"
began Polly, eagerly.
"Oh, but we will try and find a sensible woman who will take all care of
him, and Mr. Dalken can enjoy Billy when he is at home with nothing else
to do," added Eleanor.
Mr. Fabian was speechless, then he smiled. "Does our friend know about
this?"
"Mercy sakes, no! We want to surprise him. We thought it would be fine,
if we could keep the baby that long, to leave him at Mr. Dalken's
apartment on Thanksgiving morning," returned Polly.
"Don't you think he would like that?" from Eleanor, eagerly.
"Mr. Dalken is now out west on important business, so of course, he
doesn't know a thing about Billy, unless he read about it in the New
York papers," remarked Mr. Fabian, thoughtfully. "I don't suppose he
will take time to glance over every news item in the papers, as he is
too preoccupied, at present, with the financial pages."
"Well, what has that to do with our plan?" asked Eleanor.
"He won't know a thing about the baby, and you can easily keep the idea
secret until Thanksgiving, if you can get the right kind of a woman to
take daily care of the boy. Of course, you were going to do that,
anyway, were you not?"
"I suppose so--we really hadn't got as far as that in our planning,"
admitted Polly.
"But we will, Mr. Fabian, now that you have mentioned it. How shall we
know if we have the right sort of nurse?" added Eleanor.
"I'll call up Ashby. I was there for dinner to-night, and they told me
of a woman they know well, who is compelled to earn her living, because
of family reverses. Shall we stop in the hotel across the street and use
the booth there?"
"Oh, yes! Let's, Mr. Fabian!" exclaimed Eleanor.
"No time like the present when you have any important work to do," added
Polly.
Mr. Fabian left the door of the telephone booth slightly ajar so the two
girls could assist in the conversation. He soon had Mr. Ashby's house
number and asked if Mr. or Mrs. Ashby were in.
Shortly thereafter a man's voice was heard talking on the wire. "Is this
Fabian--oh, yes. What can I do for you, old man?"
Then Mr. Fabian replied: "Why, I called upon my girls at the Studio this
evening, after I left you, and I found the most astonishing addition to
their family circle. A little baby boy was left on their door-step, it
seems. A fine little fellow, too.
"So far, no one has called to claim him, and should no one come, the two
girls have a plan to place him in a good home. They told me all about
it, and I rather approve of the idea, too. But what they need, at once,
is an experienced, capable woman to take care of the boy, until
Thanksgiving Day--perhaps after that, if she is found to be
satisfactory.
"I thought, at once, of that woman that Mrs. Ashby and you were speaking
of, at table, to-night. Do you suppose she would consider a position as
second-mother to a baby?"
The girls strained their ears to hear the reply but Mr. Ashby spoke too
low, and they could but judge what he said by Mr. Fabian's words
afterward.
"Fine! If Mrs. Ashby will not consider it too much trouble. And she will
bring Martha down to-morrow afternoon when the girls are home from
school?"
Polly and Eleanor smiled with relief, and Mr. Fabian said over the
'phone, "All right! Thanks, Ashby. And thank your wife for the two
girls, too, who are waiting here for the verdict."
As the three left the hotel again, Mr. Fabian said: "Now that much is
satisfactorily settled for you, and Billy shall have a good woman to
look after him, if he is still unclaimed to-morrow afternoon."
The girls were altogether too inexperienced to realize that it was
curious how easily the Ashbys, Mr. Dalken's most intimate friends, and
Mr. Fabian agreed to such a strange plan as trying to saddle a foundling
baby on a man who lived a hermit's life when in his own home.
They never questioned the readiness with which these friends accepted
their proposition, but they were delighted at the "lucky chance" that
brought a woman to Mrs. Ashby on the very day that they began to think
of employing a woman-nurse for the baby.
Mr. Fabian walked back to the Studio door with them, smiling at their
dreams of future bliss for Mr. Dalken. In fact, their thoughts traveled
so far into the future, that they saw Billy a fine young man and Mr.
Dalken, white-haired and bent, depending on his beloved adopted son for
everything.
The four inmates of the Studio were not aware that they had been kept
singularly free from constant annoyance from reporters and police. Nor
did they realize that the short news article that had appeared in the
papers, had been a wonderful story to catch the eyes of curious readers,
but _some_one in authority had ordered it "cut" to an inch.
The afternoon following Mr. Fabian's visit to the girls, they hurried
home from school and found Mrs. Ashby's car in front of the house. They
quickly entered the front door and greeted her with a smiling welcome.
"I see you have Billy in hand, already," laughed Polly.
"Yes; isn't he a friendly little fellow?" replied Mrs. Ashby.
"Wonderful! We never knew babies were so easy to live with," added
Eleanor.
"Mrs. Stewart took Martha upstairs to show her how you managed for the
baby. He may need extra things, or other conveniences," suggested Mrs.
Ashby.
Even as she spoke, the sound of steps was heard descending the front
stairs, and soon after, Mrs. Stewart led Martha in, and introduced her
to Polly and Eleanor. The girls liked the refined look and quiet
sensible words and manners of the nurse-to-be.
"Isn't it splendid that Martha should have been relieved, last week, of
just such a position as we now need her for? She was in the country
taking charge of a baby of about this boy's age, but some friends came
and took him away, so she was free to find another position," explained
Mrs. Ashby.
Martha handled Billy as if she was an expert, and the boy crowed and
tried to talk to her, as if he had known her all his life.
"I never saw a friendlier baby than this one. He smiles and is contented
with anybody, and that will make it fine for Martha," remarked Mrs.
Stewart.
So it was immediately decided to retain Martha during the day, but she
would have to find a place to lodge, nearby and leave Billy with the
girls during the night. This pleased them well, for they did not wish to
relinquish all rights of attendance on their baby to a stranger.
"I may as well remain for the rest of this afternoon, Madam," said
Martha, speaking to Mrs. Ashby, "as I have no other place to go."
"How about seeking for a room in the neighborhood and taking it to-day?
You may not have a free half hour, like this, again," suggested Mrs.
Ashby.
Martha silently acquiesced but she cast a troubled gaze at the child;
when Eleanor picked him up by the arms, she immediately corrected the
mistake, by saying, "Miss, you should always hold a baby at his age,
about the waist--a hand on each side of him. _Never_ by the arms!"
Mrs. Ashby offered to drive Martha about to hunt up a furnished room, so
the girls said good-by to their callers.
That evening was school-night again, and Mr. Fabian was interested in
hearing if Martha had proved satisfactory. Even Ruth Ashby took a
personal interest in the baby-boy, now that Martha was to be his nurse.
"Do you know Martha?" asked Polly, surprised.
"Of course. Wasn't she mother's nurse, years ago?"
"Oh--I thought she was a lady of means who had just lost everything,"
remarked Eleanor.
"Well, it is this way. When mother was a little mite Martha was a girl
of about fourteen. Grandma engaged her to push mother's carriage out for
a walk every day. Then Martha grew up and married and mother never saw
her again, for a long time.
"Her husband's nephew came to live with them, as Martha never had any
children, but her nephew grew up and married. Then Martha's husband
died, and she went to live with the nephew and his wife. They were
well-to-do young people, and Martha had an easy life there.
"They had a baby, and Martha took care of him, as if she was his own
mother. Then the nephew enlisted in the war and was killed 'over there.'
His wife pined a lot, and during the epidemic of the flu, last Winter,
she took it and died, too.
"That left Martha with the baby, but she hadn't a cent to live on,
because there was only the money the baby ought to have had from the
Government, because of losing his father in battle. But Martha didn't
understand how to go about getting it, and when a friend of hers offered
to find a good home for the baby, the poor great-aunt consented. She had
no other choice, as she would have to work herself, and could not be
hampered by a little boy.
"Then she came to mother and that is how it all happened."
"I wonder what became of her grand-nephew?" asked Polly.
"Mother begged of me not to mention it, and never to refer to the past,
when Martha was about," said Ruth, seriously.
"I suppose the poor thing misses her little nephew so much!" observed
Polly, sympathetically.
"Yes, that must be the reason," agreed Ruth.
Mr. Fabian listened attentively and approved of Mrs. Ashby's advice to
her daughter.
No one came to claim Billy, and the days passed swiftly for the
self-appointed mothers of the boy. He was so merry and good-natured a
child, that Mrs. Stewart sighed when she thought of the Studio without
him. Before November passed, he could walk all alone and even tried to
climb the stairs.
Martha was a jewel with him. She never seemed too tired to do things for
him. She it was, who taught him his table manners and insisted upon his
saying "Plee" and "Tant" for anything. He could say "Dadda" and
"Biddy"--the latter meaning himself.
Polly and Eleanor spent every spare moment teaching him new
accomplishments, so that before the middle of Thanksgiving month, the
boy really was unusually precocious and well-behaved.
Mr. Dalken returned to New York the third week in November and
immediately sent out cards to his friends for a dinner-party. It was
very private, only the circle acquainted with Polly and Eleanor were to
be his guests. But they had a good time, nevertheless, and Mr. Dalken
appeared more cheerful than of yore.
"Now what do you suppose I called you together for?" said he, after the
table had been cleared of the roast and everyone was ready to listen
while waiting for salad.
"Dear me, I hope you are not going to spring a sensational surprise on
us!" Eleanor said, her face expressing worry.
Everyone laughed, but Mr. Dalken said: "What would you call a
sensation?"
"Oh, well! in case you were married while in Chicago! That would ruin my
hopes," interpolated Polly, anxiously.
A general laugh greeted this, and Mr. Dalken retorted:
"I hadn't even dreamed of such a possibility, but now that you plainly
show me how you have been hoping I would propose to you, I may as well
take my medicine like a man!"
"Me--you--propose! What _are_ you talking of?" cried Polly, aghast.
Everyone laughed teasingly, but Eleanor explained quickly. "He
misunderstood your reason for worrying, Polly. Just like a man--they
think one is always thinking of marriage, even when there are great
charities being perfected."
Mr. Dalken now showed his surprise, and asked what really was the cause
of Polly's anxiety.
"Oh, you'll see some day. We can't tell you now!" laughed Eleanor.
"Then I may as well confess to you-all and tell you what my surprise is.
"I finished my business in Chicago much sooner than I had hoped for, and
went on to Pebbly Pit to see how things were progressing. I had a
delightful visit at the ranch, and am able to say that work has reached
the point, now, where the mining machines will start working next week,
unless snow stops everything."
"Oh, then you saw father and mother!" cried Polly, eagerly.
"Yes, and I have all sorts of good things for you from home. A jar of
preserves, and a dozen or more of glasses filled with jelly and other
delectable sweets that Sary insisted that I carry to you. I did my best
to explain that it would be cheaper and safer if she sent them by
express or parcel post--but no! She told me 'A bird in th' hand is wuth
two er three in a bush.'"
Polly and Eleanor instantly visualized Sary as she made this remark, and
they laughed merrily.
Mr. Dalken then repeated minutest details of the work on Rainbow Cliffs,
and the gold mine on Grizzly Slide. As everything promised so well, the
girls felt elated at their future prospects.
Mr. Ashby wanted to know if his friend had succeeded in buying any more
stock for him, and Mr. Dalken replied: "You'll have to wait until
Latimer issues another block. No one I know of will sell any of what
they hold."
The evening passed pleasantly with intimate matters to speak of, and at
last Anne said: "We must be going, Mr. Dalken. The girls have one of
their long class days, to-morrow, you know."
"Yes, and Martha will want to go to bed," added Mrs. Stewart.
"Who's Martha? Got a servant at last?" asked Mr. Dalken.
"Why, no, Martha--" Mrs. Stewart began innocently, but the two girls
wildly interrupted her. Polly shouted unusually loud for her, "Oh, I am
so tired!"
Eleanor had managed to wink her eyes warningly at Mrs. Stewart, and that
lady realized that she had almost "put her foot in it." Mr. Dalken
noticed something was disturbing the two girls, but he never dreamed
what it was.
The following evening, at art class, Mr. Fabian had news for the two
girls. "Mr. Ashby has invited Mr. Dalken to have his Thanksgiving Dinner
with his family, and that will give you the opportunity you need, to get
Billy settled in his new home."
"Oh, how can we part from him!" sighed Eleanor, wiping an eye, as she
pictured the lonely rooms.
"Yes--" sighed Polly, mournfully. "That's the worst of having a dog or a
baby that you become so fond of."
"But you will see Billy three nights a week, and you never could have
kept him for yourselves, you know," said Mr. Fabian.
Thanksgiving Day Martha seemed all upset. The idea of moving the baby to
a new home, and perhaps not being welcome, made her cry softly, now and
then. The little family at the Studio, instead of being very grateful
for all the blessings they had had during the past year, went about
looking forlorn and miserable.
They went to the Latimers for dinner that noon, and left Martha with the
baby. It had been planned that they would get back home by eight o'clock
and accompany their baby-gift over to Mr. Dalken's apartment. Billy
would be placed in bed where his new foster father would find him, and
then would come the joy of it all.
The plans worked out as expected to a certain degree. Mr. Dalken went up
to the Ashbys for dinner, and a little after eight o'clock, a mournful
procession wended its way from the Studio door. Martha carried Billy
carefully. Polly and Eleanor carried the tub, chair, and other articles
of use for the baby. Anne carried the bundles of clothing, and Mrs.
Stewart carried the milk-warmer, the other food-equipment, and the extra
blankets.
Mr. Dalken's chauffeur opened the door to admit the visitors, but when
he saw the burdens the ladies carried, he was speechless. Eleanor tried
to explain that they had a new boy for Mr. Dalken, but Henri seemed not
to appreciate the fact.
Billy was gurgling and trying to get his active fists out of the quilted
blanket, but Martha held him firmly until she had him in the bedroom
where Mr. Dalken slept.
"We are going to leave him right in the middle of this big bed, Henri,
so his new father will find him when he comes in to-night," explained
Eleanor, arranging the baby's bedding on the large expanse of
bed-spread.
Billy was arrayed for the night, and everyone kissed him tearfully, as
if he was about to be placed in his coffin. Then Martha gave him a drink
of warm milk and placed him in his blankets.
Hardly had they tucked him up, before the bell at the entrance rang
imperatively. Henri glanced distractedly at the baby and then at the
other visitors, before he turned to answer the call. It rang a second
time before he opened the door.
"Let's turn down the light and hide behind the velour portières,"
whispered Anne, anxiously.
The five guilty members of the surprise-party quickly hid themselves as
best they could, but not so soon, but that they heard Henri returning.
He was talking, and other voices were replying.
"I donno why the missee's come in an' fetch a bebby. Dey say 'He a big
surprise,' Mr. Dalken."
To the amazement of the hidden ones, Mr. Dalken's voice now replied:
"Never mind, Henri. I'll be out with my visitors, in a moment. I only
want to get a handkerchief from the dresser."
The five culprits saw him switch up the lights and they then heard Billy
welcome the unusual privilege with a gurgle. Not a sound came from the
man who must have heard the baby-voice and seen the occupant of his
massive four-poster.
Polly could stand it no longer. She had to peep out at what was going
on. The first thing she saw, was Eleanor's head showing from the side of
the other portière. Both girls watched the scene with bated breath.
Mr. Dalken stood beside the bed, looking down at the little bundle that
made a dent in the middle of his comfortable mattress. Billy was waving
his fists invitingly, as if to say, "Come on and fight!"
As the two girls watched him, Mr. Dalken smiled and said: "So _you_ are
Billy Martin, are you?"
The two eaves-droppers glanced at each other in consternation. "How and
why did Mr. Dalken call _their_ baby Billy Martin?"
"Well, Billy, suppose we go out and see what your Daddy thinks of you.
For my part, I say you're just about perfect." As Mr. Dalken spoke, he
carefully lifted the willing baby from the bed and cuddled him in his
arms. Then he went from the room.
"Polly!" hissed Eleanor, anxiously, "did you hear what he said?"
"S-sh! let us follow and see what's the matter. Someone came in with Mr.
Dalken, you know," returned Polly in a low voice.
Mrs. Stewart and Anne now crept from behind the heavy window curtains
and tip-toed after Polly and Eleanor. And, last of all, Martha came from
behind the door and followed in the wake of the other four. Then they
heard Mr. Dalken talking.
"Well, here's the boy, but how he ever got into my rooms I cannot say.
Mrs. Ashby will have to explain that, in a minute, as she is the one who
seemed to know where to find Martha and the baby."
Martha was still in the hall and could not see who was in the
living-room with Mr. Dalken, but the four conspirators now stood staring
at the group in the center of the lighted room.
Mr. and Mrs. Ashby were seated in comfortable armchairs, smiling happily
at the two standing men and about to make the baby comfortable. He had
been transferred from Mr. Dalken's arms to those of a younger man who
was trembling with joy at beholding Billy's smiling little face.
"There, now, Martin. Isn't he worth living for? You said you wanted to
die, when you found your wife was gone. But let me tell you, my boy,
this baby ought to make you brace up." Mr. Dalken patted the strange
young man on the shoulder, and just then Martha burst into the room.
"Jimmy! Oh, Jimmy--is it you, or is it someone who looks like my dead
Jimmy?"
"Aunt Martha--Dear Aunt Martha--it is your own Jimmy. I was a long time
coming home, but here I am at last!"
Then Polly and Eleanor learned the true story about their precious Billy
who was, according to them, to have adopted Mr. Dalken for a father.
"Girls, I appreciate your great sacrifice to try and make me happy, for
I have heard from the Ashbys how much you wanted to keep Billy, but you
felt that he ought to belong to me. Seeing that he came so near to being
mine, I shall always take a great interest in him and his relatives,"
began Mr. Dalken, while Jimmy Martin and Martha went into the other room
to be alone with the baby.
"You see, Mrs. Ashby is at the bottom of this plot and having roped in
her husband to believe just as she did, the next step was to make the
whole plan seem accidental.
"So, when Martha was left with the baby, she called on Mrs. Ashby for
help. Seeing that the boy had brown eyes and was named Billy, my anxious
friend decided that he was what I ought to have to cheer me. Martha was
boarded in a country home until I prepared to go west on my business
trip.
"Just about that time, you found an unknown babe on your door-step, but
had we been able to look behind the scenes, I think you would have seen
the Ashby's car down on the corner, and Martha anxiously waiting to see
if you took Billy in, all right.
"After that, Billy made his own way with you people, as he is apt to
make it with everyone. And what was so natural, as that you should fall
in with Mr. Fabian's well-learned lesson. The Ashbys made him memorize
just what to say and to do it every day.
"All went as had been planned, and my dear friends here were so pleased
with themselves at the little scheme, that they planned to return home
with me to-night and see how I liked the baby-surprise. But this is
where an unexpected and unknown actor entered upon the stage.
"James Martin was not killed in battle. He was wounded and taken
prisoner by the Germans. He was so dangerously injured that he was left
to die in a small town in the interior. But he managed to pull through,
and after many months of convalescence, he worked his way from Germany
back to Paris.
"It took several months more to identify him and get a passport for him
to America. When he went to his old home town to find his wife and
child, he learned that one was dead and the other was taken away by the
aunt. The shock sent him to the county hospital again, and it was
several months before he could get out to start a hunt for his boy.
"He learned where Martha had gone, and to-night, James called at the
house to ask Mrs. Ashby if she knew anything about his boy and aunt. I
happened to be in the hall when he came in.
"So here we are, girls; you lose a protegé and I lose a boy."
"Oh, but James wins back his boy again!" cried Polly, delightedly.
"I want to know, Mr. Dalken," demanded Eleanor, frowning, "did Ruth
Ashby know the truth about this when she told us that yarn about
Martha?"
Mr. Dalken laughed. "No, girls. Poor Ruth is as upset about it as you
could wish her to be. She wants me to adopt Billy, anyway, even with his
real father on hand to claim him. I really think Mrs. Ashby is the one
we have to put through the third degree on this whole plot."
Mrs. Ashby looked up and smiled. "Well, I told the truth about the
matter, didn't I? But I refrained from telling Ruth that Martha was the
same woman who was aunt to Billy, and I withheld the facts that Billy
was the same baby that you girls found on your door-step--that's all."
"That's all----" laughed Mr. Dalken. "As if that was not enough! To
deprive me of the son my two pet girls tried to place in my arms."
Polly flung herself in his arms and hugged him as she said, "Nolla and I
will have to adopt you ourselves, now."
And he whispered in her ear, so only she could hear: "You haven't any
idea how happy you girls make me. I have found something in life worth
while, since I found all of these good friends."
Then Mrs. Ashby said: "Dalk, you have been hunting for a reliable man
and wife to take charge of your apartment, so I think it is Providence
that sent Martha and James to you. You will have admirable help in them
and little Billy, too."