Eve was puzzled. She had thought her so unimaginative and quiet; "a passionless, practical little creature, cool and unimpulsive, whose miniature beauty led poor Jack astray, and made him believe that she had a soul!" This had been her estimate. She was alone with the baby; she took him to the window and looked at him earnestly. The little man smiled back at her, playing with the crape of her dress. No, there was nothing of Cicely here; the blue eyes, golden hair, and frank smile--all were his father over again. "We'll make that Mr. Morrison come back, baby; and then you and I will go away together," she whispered, stroking his curls. "Meh Kiss'm," said Jack. It was as near as he could come to "Merry Christmas." "Before another Christmas I'll get you away from her _forever_!" murmured the aunt, passionately. V. "Out rowing? If you are doing it to entertain me--" said Eve. "I should never think of that; there's only one thing here that entertains you, and that's baby," Cicely answered. She spoke without insistence; her eyes had their absent-minded expression. "Cicely, give him to me," Eve began. She must put her wish into words some time. "If I could only make you feel how much I long for it! I will devote my life to him; and it will be a pleasure to me, a charity, because I am so alone in the world. You are not alone; you have other ties. Listen, Cicely, I will make any arrangement you like; you shall always have the first authority, but let me have him to live with me; let me take him away when I go. I will even acknowledge everything you have said: my brother _was_ much older than you were; it's natural that those months with him should seem to you now but an episode--something that happened at the beginning of your life, but which need not go on to its close." "I _was_ young," said Cicely, musingly. "Young to marry--yes." "No; I mean young to have everything ended." "But that is what I am telling you, it must not be ended; Mr. Morrison must come back to you." "He may," answered Cicely, looking at her companion for a moment with almost a solemn expression. "Then give baby to me now, and let me go away--before he comes." Cicely glanced off over the water; they were standing on the low bank above the Sound. "He could not go north now, in the middle of the winter," she answered, after a moment. "In the early spring, then?" "I don't know; perhaps." Eve's heart gave a bound. She was going to gain her point. Having been brought up by a man, she had learned to do without the explanations, the details, which are dear to most feminine minds; so all she said was, "That's agreed, then." She was so happy that a bright flush rose in her cheeks, and her smile, as she spoke these last few words, was very sweet; those lips, which Miss Sabrina had thought so sullen, had other expressions. Cicely looked at her. "You may marry too."