“I don’t care if she’s the greatest acrobat the world ever saw!  There’s always chance of an accident!  And with a baby, you never know.  Suppose Fleurette squirmed out of her grasp, just as she—­”

“Oh, hush!  Elise, you drive me distracted!  It can’t be anything like that!”

“Yes, it can!  I hope it isn’t, but do let this be a lesson to you, Patty!  Don’t ever allow that girl to see the baby again,—­much less touch her!  I think you and Bill must have taken leave of your senses to give her such freedom!  Why, you don’t deserve to have that heavenly baby!”

“That’s so, Elise, I don’t!” and Patty broke into a flood of tears.  “My little flower!  My precious own baby!  How could I ever let Azalea touch her?  But, Elise, Zaly loves her as much as we do.”

“That may be,—­and of course, she wouldn’t harm the child wilfully.  But, as I said, accidents will happen,—­and if it’s Bill’s fault, why,—­of course, it’s his own child,—­and that’s different.  But Azalea has no business to take chances with other people’s children.”

“I know it, and if she only brings her back this time in safety,—­I’ll never let her see Fleurette alone again!”

All that afternoon Patty suffered agonies of suspense.  Now she would cry uncontrollably,—­and again, she would sit, still and dry-eyed, waiting for some sound of Azalea’s arrival.

But no rolling wheels of the baby coach greeted her ears, nor any little crowing notes of glee from her baby’s lips.

Several times she tried again to reach Farnsworth by telephone,—­but always unsuccessfully.

At last the long hours wore away, and Farnsworth came home.

Patty flew to greet him, and was instantly wrapped in his big embrace.

“Well, Patty-maman,” he said, as he kissed her, “how’s things today?  I had to go over to Philadelphia, on a flying trip,—­wish I could have flown, literally,—­and hadn’t even time to let you know.  Then, Rollins told me you had called up several times,—­so I skittled home to see what it’s all about.”

His big, cheery voice comforted Patty, and her trouble suddenly seemed easier to bear, with his help near.

“Oh, Little Billee,” she cried, “Azalea has run off with Fleurette.”

“Good gracious, you don’t say!  But how much better to have Zaly do the kidnapping than some professional abductors!  Hello, Elise, glad to see you!  When did you arrive?  This morning?”

“No; this afternoon.  But, Bill, this matter is serious.  Azalea took the baby away, on the sly.”

“That’s like her!  Azalea has sly ways.  And more than that,—­she has queer ways!  It won’t do, Patty, there’s something wrong,—­very wrong,—­about the girl.  Did she get a letter to-day?”

“No; not this morning.  I forgot to look this afternoon.”

“What do you mean?” asked Elise, her curiosity aroused.  “Do you keep tab on her letters, Patty?”