“And what do you propose doing with all those children?”
“I thought we’d feed them,” said Mabel, “and then find somebody that knows them. There’s a vacant room across from mine. I’ll take care of them for the night. The baby is getting a tooth.”
“A teething baby!”
“And twins!” added Mabel. “And a boy named Tommy. But I got them all here alive and that was something.”
“Of course I shall have to punish you for going out of bounds. But the rest of your—your behavior is so unusual that I don’t know just how to meet it. I’ll have to think about it awhile. Now take those children to the room you mentioned and I’ll have one of the maids send up some supper—”
“Milk and oatmeal and bread,” pleaded Mabel, wearily.
An hour later, the mother of the forsaken children appeared at the kitchen door. She had followed the wheels of the baby carriage all the way to Highland Hall.
Charles was peeling potatoes, the two neat maids were helping him. At sight of the woman in the doorway, Charles rose suddenly to his feet, dropped his pan of potatoes and turned as if to flee. But the visitor rushed across the room and threw her arms about his neck.
And then tall, lanky Charles, with a sheepish glance at the two astonished maids, returned her kiss.
“He’s my husband,” said the woman. “I thought he’d gone to Detroit to get work. And here he is, not three miles from home!”