CHAPTER V
EVELYN awoke from a long, quiet sleep to find her husband sitting byher side and gazing upon her as if he thought her the greatest ofearthly treasures.
“Dear Max,” she said, smiling up in his eyes, “it is so sweet to haveyou so close—keeping guard over me as if I were the dearest of earthlypossessions.”
“That is just what you are, love,” he returned, leaning over her andkissing lip and cheek and brow. “And this little darling comes next,”he added, looking down at the sleeping babe by her side.
“Ah, she is a treasure, oh, such a treasure to me—but I am sorry foryour sake that she is only a girl.”
“Only a girl!” he exclaimed. “I am glad she is that. I would not haveher anything else; and I hope she will prove a second edition of hermother.”
“Thank you, my dear,” Eva said with a smile. “But she must have a name,and what shall it be?”
“Whatever pleases her mother,” replied Max, returning the smile.
“No, I think the decision should rest with her father,” Eva said, withher low, sweet laugh.
“Shall we call her Elsie for your good, kind aunt?” returned Max.
“I should like to give that token of affection to both her and hermother,” said Evelyn, “were it not that there are already so manyElsies in the connection. How would Mary do? Perhaps shortening it toMaie.”
“Quite well, I think,” said Max. “So let us call her our little Maie.”
“Little treasure!” murmured Evelyn, gazing upon the baby face. “Oh,Max, I feel it very sweet to be a mother—to have a little darling of myvery own.”
“And I find it far from unpleasant to be a father,” he returned gaily,“the only drawback upon my felicity being the hard fact that I mustleave my two dearest ones so often for my life upon the sea.”
“Ah,” she sighed, “I must try not to think of that now. It is a hardthought, though I am proud of my husband’s readiness to serve hiscountry.”
“A country well worth serving, I think,” smiled Max; “the grandest onein the world.”
Doctor and nurse both came in at that moment.
“In which opinion I heartily agree with you,” said Harold, havingoverheard Max’s last sentence. “But remember, my good naval officer,that you must not talk in too exciting a way to my patient.”
“Oh, I am not at all excited, but if you abuse my husband I shall be,”said Evelyn, with mirthful look and tone.
“Oh, I am not abusing him or intending to,” said Harold, “but mypatient’s welfare must always receive my first consideration.”
“Pleasant doctrine for me while I am the patient,” laughed Evelyn.
Harold was looking at the sleeping babe. “She’s a pretty bit lassiefor one of her age,” he said, “and I hope one of these days to claimher as my niece.”
“So you may; I think you will suit very well for an uncle,” laughedMax; “an uncle for my child since you have ceased to be one for myself.”
“Yes, I prefer to be your brother,” was Harold’s response to that.
“Grace is much pleased with her little niece,” said Evelyn, “and withthe thought of being an aunt; as Lucilla is, also.”
“Yes, and the little cousins, too,” said Grandma Elsie, coming in atthat moment. “Ah, she is waking now; see, her eyes are open. Supposeyou let me carry her into the dressing-room again and let them refreshtheir eyes with another sight of the dear little face.”
“Agreed, Grandma Elsie, if you will let me go along to witness thescene,” said Max. “I’ll carry her very carefully on a pillow.”
He did so, and laid her on Grandma Elsie’s lap, she having seatedherself in a low, easy-chair. Then the children were notified andgathered about her in an eager, excited group, while the young fatherstood near looking on.
“I wish I might hold her in my arms for a little,” said Alie Leland.
“No, I’m too young; don’t touch me, cousins,” the baby seemed to say.
“Oh, it can talk! It can talk!” cried Alie Leland.
“The same way that the tee-tees did,” laughed her brother Edward.
“But Cousin Ronald isn’t here,” exclaimed several child voices.
“No; but Cousin Max is, and he is a ventriloquist, too,” returnedEdward, looking smilingly at the baby’s father.
“Well, now, Ned,” said Max, “do you really think my little girl is notcapable of saying a few words for herself?”
“Oh, I daresay she will talk fast enough some of these days,” laughedthe lad, “but I know babies don’t talk when they are hardly a weekold.”
“Except when there’s a ventriloquist at hand,” said Eric.
“Brother Max,” exclaimed Ned, “I’m so glad you are a ventriloquist,because I hope you’ll make a good deal of fun for us, as Cousin Ronalddoes.”
“Isn’t it enough for me to help my little girl to talk?” asked Max.
“That’s good,” said Ned. “Please make her talk some more.”
“No, you talk, Uncle Ned,” the baby seemed to say, and Ned laughed andshouted, “There! she called me uncle, grandma! She’s a nice baby, isn’tshe?”
“I think so,” replied Mrs. Travilla, “and we must all be careful toteach her only what is good and lovable.”
Violet and Lucilla came in together at that moment.
“I must have a look at my little niece,” said the latter.
“And I at my granddaughter,” added Violet.
“Oh, mamma, don’t say that,” exclaimed Elsie. “You are too young forit; isn’t she, grandma?”
“She does look rather young to lay claim to that appellation,” GrandmaElsie returned, with an admiring smile up into her daughter’s beautifuland youthful face.
“Ah, but her own grandsire being my husband gives me something of aright in that direction,” laughed Violet. “And anybody might be glad toclaim kinship with such a darling,” she added, gazing down at the babeas it lay on her mother’s knee.
“Thank you, Grandma Vi,” came in a feeble little voice, apparently fromthe lips of the babe.
At that moment the captain entered the room.
“Ah, so my little granddaughter is on exhibition, I see,” he said, ashe approached the little group gathered about Grandma Elsie and thebabe.
“Yes, grandpa,” she seemed to say. “My papa helps me to talk.”
“Does he? I’m afraid you will lose your ability to talk when he goesaway,” said the captain, bending down over the babe and gazing withloving admiration into the wee face. “She’s a fine child, I think,Max,” he said, “one that I am proud to claim as my grandchild.”
“She doesn’t seem to appreciate your praise, my dear,” said Violet, asthe child began to squirm and cry.
At that the nurse came and took charge of it, and its visitors vanishedto other parts of the house or the grounds.
Elsie and Her Loved Ones Page 5