mouth, too late, however, to stop the laugh that overflowed it.
When she found her breath again, she said,--

"Look yar! I don't wonder they said you was looney! I'm Trinidad
Joe's onmarried darter, and the only woman in this house. Any fool
could have told you that. Now, ef you can rig us up a baby out o'
them facts, I'd like to see it done."

Inwardly furious but outwardly polite, James North begged her
pardon, deplored his ignorance, and, with a courtly bow, made a
movement to take the child. But the woman as quickly drew it away.

"Not much," she said, hastily. "What! trust that poor critter to
you? No, sir! Thar's more ways of feeding a baby, young man, than
you knows on, with all your 'nat'ral nourishment.' But it looks
kinder logy and stupid."

North freezingly admitted that he had given the infant whisky as a
stimulant.

"You did? Come, now, that ain't so looney after all. Well, I'll
take the baby, and when Dad comes home we'll see what can be done."

North hesitated. His dislike of the woman was intense, and yet he
knew no one else and the baby needed instant care. Besides, he
began to see the ludicrousness of his making a first call on his
neighbors with a foundling to dispose of. She saw his hesitation,
and said,--

"Ye don't know me, in course. Well, I'm Bessy Robinson, Trinidad