This he
proceeded to deposit with much care at the feet of the Mistress.
Then he stood back; tail waving, dark eyes mischievously
expectant.
"Another dividend from the curve!" laughed the Master. "What is
it, this time? A pillow or--?"
He broke off in the middle of his amused query. For, even as he
turned his flashlight on the dusty and blood-streaked bundle, the
baby began once more to cry.
The local chief of police, in the village across the lake, was
making ready for bed, when a telephone summons brought him back
to his lower hallway.
"Hello!" came the Master's hail, over the wire. "Chief, has there
been any alarm sent out for--for a missing baby?"
"Baby?" echoed the Chief. "No. Have you lost one?"
"No. I've found one. At least, Laddie has. He's just brought it
home. It is dressed in unusually costly things, my wife says.
There was a white baby-blanket strapped around it. And there are
dust and streaks of fresh blood on the blanket. But the baby
himself isn't hurt at all. And--"
"I'll be over there, in fifteen minutes," said the Chief, alive
with professional interest.
Pages:
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328