“I never heard or read anything like this,” Maida declared solemnly. “How did you manage to take care of the baby--and bathe her and feed her?” “It was very hard,” Silva said simply. “Tyma and I took turns in spending the night in the cave. Aunt Save never knew; for we waited until everybody was asleep before we left the camp. I used to go once in the morning to heat water and bathe her and once in the afternoon to take her out in the sunlight. We made baskets all the time so that we could buy milk. Getting the milk to her though without being seen--Oh how we had to plan! I bought a little lamp and heated her milk over it. And then I was so worried! I knew it was going to be very troublesome in a little while because it was only a question of time before Nesta would creep. Fortunately she was backward about everything--especially walking. We planned to barricade the front of the cave. But what we should do when winter came, we could not guess. And then we were so bothered about clothes--” Silva stopped and cast her eyes downward. “This is so hard to tell you!” “Go on!” Maida urged. “I broke into your house night before last, and stole some doll clothes. That first day you came to visit Aunt Save, I heard you talking with her about a doll you had as big as a baby, and how you kept her clothes in a little hair-cloth trunk under your window in your room. I watched the house until I found out which room was yours. There was a great tree in front of it. And that night, when everybody had gone to sleep, I climbed in your window and took all the doll clothes. You see some nights were rainy and I was afraid she wouldn’t be warm enough. Please excuse me if you can. I will give them all back.” Maida was silent for an instant struggling with the situation too complicated for her young mind. “Of course,” she said at last in a tremulous voice, “stealing is always wrong. I would have given you Lucy’s clothes if you had asked me for them.” “I didn’t know that you would,” Silva faltered. “And I didn’t dare tell you about Nesta.” “Of course I saw Lucy’s clothes in the cave,” Maida went on. Her eyes were downcast. “Let’s not speak of it again. Very likely, I would have done the same thing if I had been in your place-- Only I suppose I wouldn’t have stolen the baby in the beginning.” She paused and then added honestly, “But perhaps that’s only because I wouldn’t have had the courage. What are you going to do now-- I mean when you get well?” “I don’t know--” Silva answered drearily. “I’ll have to wait until Tyma comes back. Everybody’ll know then. Aunt Save will make me write to father that I have Nesta. He’ll take Nesta away from me and that dreadful woman will have the care of her--”