He spoke rather stammeringly.
"Well, Sturtevant," said he, "the fact is, Jane and I have talked it over, and she thinks she can manage, and he seems a bright little chap, and--I have about made up my mind to keep him myself." "He is going to be baptised as soon as he is big enough to be taken out of my darning basket," said Jane Riggs with defiance, but Mrs.
Sturtevant regarded her with relief.
"I dare say he will be a real comfort to you," she said, "even if he does come from such queer stock." Her husband looked at Von Rosen and whistled under his breath.
"People will talk," he said aside.
"Let them," returned Von Rosen.

He was experiencing a strange new joy of possession, which no possibility of ridicule could daunt.

However, his joy was of short duration.

The baby was a little over three months old, and had been promoted to a crib, and a perambulator, had been the unconscious recipient of many gifts from the women of Von Rosen's parish, and of many calls from admiring little girls.

Jane had scented the danger.