"There," she said, blushing.
Challoner held it up, looked at it a moment, finally he said, with just a tinge of suspicion in his voice:—
"This tiny dress—what?" He looked at his wife stupidly, and after a time, he added: "Why, Miriam, you never told me.... A little child for you and me?"
"Yes, Laurie," she whispered softly.
Challoner was visibly affected. For an instant he held the infinitesimal garment up before him; then acting upon a sudden impulse, he cuddled it down into the crook of his arm and held it there.
"A child—for me," he mused, and suddenly passed the dress back to her, but as suddenly he held out his hands for it again, saying: "Give it back to me!" After a moment, he looked up and exclaimed: "I wonder if it is given to mere man to appreciate thoroughly the anticipation of motherhood—the hours that are given to fashioning little garments like this, for instance! And yet it seems to me now that I could work forever for—" he broke off abruptly, quite overcome.
Miriam was deeply touched.
"Never fear, dear, there will be plenty of responsibility for you later on."
At that moment Shirley poked her head in through the door, and called:—
"Miriam! Miriam, the potatoes are burning!"