"The baby, I suppose!" she snapped. "Is Little Marion there?" "Yes!" "Well, let me dress." "Hurry, please, Grandma! Charleton seemed awful scared." "Charleton! Huh! I'm going to get my proper clothes on and drink my coffee, no matter how Charleton Falkner worries. He always was a baby. You go saddle Abe." Abe was saddled and the Moose was breathing normally before Grandma appeared, plump and calm. Nor would she allow Abe to be hurried out of his usual gentle trot. "Douglas, when you've seen as many new eyes open and old eyes close as I have, you'll quit hurrying," she said. "The Almighty generally looks out for mothers, anyhow." So, sedately, in the glory of the sun bursting over the top of the Indian range, they trotted up to Falkner's cabin. Charleton burst out of the door. "Where in the blank-blank have you been? Hurry, Grandma! I've been nearly crazy!" "I'll bet your wife ain't crazy." Grandma dismounted with Doug's help. "Now, Douglas, you keep this lunatic outside, no matter what he says or does. It's just the way he acted when Little Marion came." She stamped into the house and closed the door. "Let's go do the chores!" suggested Douglas. "Chores! Chores! Don't you know that--" "Yes, I know all about it," interrupted Doug. "Come on and get the milking done. Are you afraid your wife will die, Charleton, or what?" "Or what!" gasped Charleton. "You poor, half-baked idiot!" For an hour, Douglas sweated with Charleton. Then, as they rested for a time on the corral gate, the kitchen door opened and Grandma's head appeared. "You go, Doug," said Charleton feebly. But Grandma did not wait. "It's a boy, Charleton!" she shrieked. "A fine, big boy!" And she closed the door. Charleton sat perfectly still on the fence. His lips moved but for several seconds no sound came forth. Then he said, "Charleton Falkner, Jr.! Charleton Falkner, Jr.! All my life I've been waiting for this moment!" Tears were on his cheeks. "Doug, you go up and ask 'em how my wife is and give her my love." Douglas stared at his mentor, wonderingly, unwound his long legs from the fence and crossed the yard. Grandma answered his timid rap. "Charleton says how's his wife and sends his love." "O, he does!" witheringly. "Why don't he go over to the post-office and telephone us? You tell him she did fine like she always does everything. You folks go up and get Peter to give you some breakfast." "I'm not going near Peter till I see the boy and my wife!" called Charleton. Grandma slammed the door. "I wouldn't go near the post-office," said Douglas, established again on the fence beside Charleton. "Why not?" "If--if I felt like you do, I'd want to stay by myself, just take a ride alone up to the top of Fire Mesa." "I don't care what I do as long as the boy's here. Charleton Falkner, Jr.! I'll tell you, Doug, you'll never know what happiness life can hold for you till a woman like Marion gives you a son."