"Mother's darling, mother's precious baby!" she cried, twining her arms round him.
"And daddy's too," said the weak little voice, for Toddlelums was a very shadowy Toddlelums still.
"Yes, and daddy's too," she said, as the man bent over his son and held one tiny hand.
"Daddy, you do love mammie, don't you? He said, that horrid Frankie said, that you hated each other"—looking at the two faces. "He said he knew it was true because he heard his mother and father say so. And I told him it was a big, big story, and I fighted him hard—very hard—and then he gave me a push, and I went down, down into the cold water. It isn't true, daddy, is it?" looking at his father with great, earnest eyes; "you do love my mammie?" and he stroked her face tenderly.
The man hesitated, looked across at the woman; then he said, "Yes, darling, I love her more than my life."
A few seconds of silence, a sigh of content from Toddlelums. Then the mother's voice saying, "And I love my little child, but I love his father more."
Eyes meet eyes, hands clasp hands, and the two hearts severed so long are united at last.
Blessed little Toddlelums, with your sweet baby face and your manly little heart!—gallantly you fought your first battle, and the victory is yours. The deep waters encompassed you, and the Valley of the Shadow was very near; but the Captain of the Host has yet a greater battle for you to fight, and that is the Battle of Life.