"He is part of an exquisite picture," he answered. Ben, who had been for a moment with Polly, now came into the room with his usual noisy bustle, and Deena got up and, surrendering the baby to the nurse, led the way downstairs. At the library door Stephen paused to whisper to Ben: "Stay with me while I tell her," in tones of abject fright; but Ben shook his head.

"Look here, old man," he said, in mild remonstrance, "if you had had a baby last night, you wouldn't be casting about for fresh trouble to-day-now, would you?" Stephen gave him an indignant glance, and, following Deena, he shut the library door. He did it in so pronounced a way that she looked up surprised, and was even more at a loss to account for the gravity of his expression; she wondered whether he had thought her rude yesterday when she had disappeared from the table at lunch and had never returned, but it was not like French to be touchy. "I left you very unceremoniously yesterday," she began, "but the nurse appeared for a moment at the door, and I did not want to alarm Ben.