Page:Bad Girl (1929).pdf/262

 he know that if anything happened to the baby she'd kill herself? What would be left in life without little Edward? Nothing but a man she loved but who had failed her child. A man who had remained cold to the touch of his own kid's fingers upon his hand. But that kid was dependent upon Eddie for the necessities of life. If it gained young Edward anything to have Eddie think that he was the only love in Dot's heart, then she could be as cold as Eddie toward the baby. After all, she would have thousands of blessed hours with him while Eddie was at work.

Miss Parsons brought the baby. "Now eat, youngster," she said as she laid him beside Dot.

The eyes of both Eddie and Dot fixed themselves upon the child as he fastened his mouth to Dot's breast and made a feeble attempt to nurse.

"He's going to take his milk," said Miss Parsons.

But she had spoken too soon. The baby evidently had no desire but to assure his audience that he knew how to get his food should he ever wish for it.

An hour passed, forty minutes of which Miss Parsons spent trying to lure the baby to nurse. It was useless. At last she bundled him off to the nursery, leaving his parents on the verge of hysteria.

Eddie had to go then. He had promised to relieve the counter man at nine o'clock. It wasn't his job to sell radio parts to the public nor to answer their questions, but you had to do a fellow a favor once in a while.

He kissed Dot and left her. He felt that it was just as well that he had to leave early tonight. Perhaps they'd have quarreled, had he stayed.

Miss Parsons came in and leaned over Dot's bed. She whispered to her, "I'm going off duty now. This is Miss Harris' night off, and you'll have Miss Brown up here. She's kind of careless, and I want to tell you something.