Page:Scarlet Sister Mary (1928).pdf/283

 passed and the night was still. She sat close to the hearth, for the rain had chilled the air and the flickering fire gave out a grateful warmth. Mary was glad to see her rest, for hurrying around so fast must have made her tired. She smoked a pipeful and laid her pipe on the hearth and settled herself with folded arms to sleep a little. She had hardly dozed when something roused Mary. She opened her eyes and peered through the dim light at her two babies. They were sound asleep. They did not move the slightest bit. Yet she heard a baby's faint cry. She called Maum Hannah, who hurried to the bed and leaned over and looked. Both the babies were asleep. Sound asleep. But she certainly had heard a baby's voice. One had waked her.

A dream maybe.

Maum Hannah laughed and went back to her chair by the fire. Mary was getting foolish. Waking herself up with dreams.

Maum Hannah sighed, then turned in her chair suddenly. She heard a baby too and she was not ureaming. She hobbled to the bed. No sound came from there. What was it she heard? Where did that cry come from? Not from Mary's boys. Both of them slept. What could it be?