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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
Joe Robinson's daughter。 I reckon Dad will give me a character if you
want references； or any of the boys on the river。〃
〃I'm only thinking of the trouble I'm giving you； Miss Robinson； I
assure you。 Any expense you may incur〃
〃Young man；〃 said Bessy Robinson； turning sharply on her heel； and
facing him with her black brows a little contracted； 〃if it comes to
expenses； I reckon I'll pay you for that baby； or not take it at all。 But I
don't know you well enough to quarrel with you on sight。 So leave the
child to me； and； if you choose； paddle down here to…morrow； after sun up…
…the ride will do you goodand see it； and Dad thrown in。 Good by！〃 and
with one powerful but well… shaped arm thrown around the child； and the
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other crooked at the dimpled elbow a little aggressively； she swept by
James North and entered a bedroom； closing the door behind her。
When Mr。 James North reached his cabin it was dark。 As he rebuilt
his fire； and tried to rearrange the scattered and disordered furniture； and
remove the debris of last night's storm； he was conscious for the first time
of feeling lonely。 He did not miss the child。 Beyond the instincts of
humanity and duty he had really no interest in its welfare or future。 He
was rather glad to get rid of it； he would have preferred to some one else；
and yet SHE looked as if she were competent。 And then came the
reflection that since the morning he had not once thought of the woman he
loved。 The like had never occurred in his twelvemonth solitude。 So he
set to work； thinking of her and of his sorrows； until the word 〃Looney；〃 in
connection with his suffering； flashed across his memory。 〃Looney！〃 It
was not a nice word。 It suggested something less than insanity；
something that might happen to a common； unintellectual sort of person。
He remembered the loon； an ungainly feathered neighbor； that was
popularly supposed to have lent its name to the adjective。 Could it be
possible that people looked upon him as one too hopelessly and
uninterestingly afflicted for sympathy or companionship； too unimportant
and common for even ridicule； or was this but the coarse interpretation of
that vulgar girl？
Nevertheless； the next morning 〃after sun up〃 James North was at
Trinidad Joe's cabin。 That worthy proprietor himselfa long； lank man；
with even more than the ordinary rural Western characteristics of ill health；
ill feeding； and melancholymet him on the bank； clothed in a manner and
costume that was a singular combination of the frontiersman and the sailor。
When North had again related the story of his finding the child； Trinidad
Joe pondered。
〃It mout hev been stowed away in one of them crates for safe…
keeping；〃 he said； musingly； 〃and washed off the deck o' one o' them Tahiti
brigs goin' down fer oranges。 Least…ways； it never got thar from these
parts。〃
〃But it's a miracle its life was saved at all。 It must have been some
hours in the water。〃
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〃Them brigs lays their course well inshore； and it was just mebbe a
toss up if the vessel clawed off the reef at all！ And ez to the child keepin'
up； why； dog my skin！ that's just the contrariness o' things；〃 continued Joe；
in sententious cynicism。 〃Ef an able seaman had fallen from the yard…
arm that night he'd been sunk in sight o' the ship； and thet baby ez can't
swim a stroke sails ashore； sound asleep； with the waves for a baby…
jumper。〃
North； who was half relieved； yet half awkwardly disappointed at not
seeing Bessy； ventured to ask how the child was doing。
〃She'll do all right now；〃 said a frank voice above； and； looking up；
North discerned the round arms； blue eyes； and white teeth of the daughter
at the window。 〃She's all hunky； and has an appetite ef she hezn't got
her 'nat'ral nourishment。' Come； Dad！ heave ahead； and tell the stranger
what you and me allow we'll do； and don't stand there swappin' lies with
him。〃
〃Weel；〃 said Trinidad Joe； dejectedly； 〃Bess allows she can rar that
baby and do justice to it。 And I don't saythough I'm her fatherthat she
can't。 But when Bess wants anything she wants it all； clean down； no
half…ways nor leavin's for her。〃
〃That's me！ go on； Dadyou're chippin' in the same notch every time；〃
said Miss Robinson； with cheerful directness。
〃Well； we agree to put the job up this way。 We'll take the child and
you'll give us a paper or writin' makin' over all your right and title。
How's that？〃
Without knowing exactly why he did； Mr。 North objected decidedly。
〃Do you think we won't take good care of it？〃 asked Miss Bessy；
sharply。
〃That is not the question；〃 said North； a little hotly。 〃In the first place；
the child is not mine to give。 It has fallen into my hands as a trust；the
first hands that received it from its parents。 I do not think it right to
allow any other hands to come between theirs and mine。〃
Miss Bessy left the window。 In another moment she appeared from
the house； and； walking directly towards North； held out a somewhat
substantial hand。 〃Good！〃 she said； as she gave his fingers an honest
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squeeze。 〃You ain't so looney after all。 Dad； he's right！ He shan't gin it
up； but we'll go halves in it； he and me。 He'll be father and I'll be mother
'til death do us part； or the reg'lar family turns up。 Wellwhat do you
say？〃
Mor