Mr. Minturn returned the sheet, his face deeply thoughtful.
“I see her point,” he said. “I
will deposit the papers in a safety vault until she
comes, and in accordance with this, I shall make no
effort to find her. My wife feels that she must
work out her own salvation, and I am beginning to
realize that a thorough self-investigation and revelation
will not hurt me. Thank you. Good morning.”
A Particular Nix
Peaches awakened early the following morning, but
Mickey was watching beside her to help her remember,
to prompt, to soothe, to comfort and to teach.
He followed Mrs. Harding to the kitchen and from the
prepared food selected what he thought came closest
filling the diet prescribed by the Sunshine Nurse,
and then he carried the tray to a fresh, cool Peaches
beside a window opening on a grassy, tree-covered lawn.
Her room was bewildering on account of its many, and
to the child, magnificent furnishings. She found
herself stretching, twisting and filled with a wild
desire to walk, to see the house, the little girl and
the real baby, the lawn beyond her window, the flower-field,
the red berries where they grew, and the birds and
animals from which came the most amazing sounds.
After doing everything for Peaches he could, Mickey
went to his breakfast. Mary Harding and Bobbie
were so anxious to see the visitor they could scarcely
eat. Knowing it was no use to try forcing them,
their mother excused them and they ventured as far
as the door. There they stopped, gazing at the
little stranger, while she stared back at them; but
she was not frightened, because she knew who they
were and that they would be good to her, else Mickey
would not let them come. So when Mary, holding
little brother’s hand, came peeping around the
door-casing, Peaches withdrew her attention from exploration
of the strip of lawn in her range and concentrated
on them. If they had come bounding at her, she
would have been frightened, but they did not.
They stood still, half afraid, watching the tiny white
creature, till suddenly she smiled at them and held
out her hand.
“I like you,” she said. “Did
you have red berries for breakfus?”
Mary nodded and smiled back.
“I think you’re a pretty little girl,”
said Peaches.
“I ain’t half as pretty as you,”
said Mary.
“No a-course you ain’t,” she admitted.
“Your family don’t put your ribbon on
you ’til night, do they? Mickey put mine
on this morning ’cause I have to look nice and
be jus’ as good, else I have to be took back
to the hot room. Do you have to be nice too?”
“Yes, I have to be a good girl,” said
Mary.
“What does your family do to you if you don’t
mind?”
“I ain’t going to tell, but it makes me,”
said Mary. “What does yours do to you?”
“I ain’t going to tell either,”
said Peaches, “but I get jus’ as good!
What’s your name?”
