Page:The Great Secret.djvu/292

276 formed a chain round her, as if some mystery was being enacted that he should not know, then after a time he heard the cry of a baby.

Was it all a dream? As he woke, the firelight still glowed redly, and as he turned round to his wife he heard her whisper faintly,—

"Be careful, Anatole, for our baby has come—and it is a boy."

Then he raised himself gently, and saw that his wife held to her breast a pink and naked morsel of humanity.

"How did it happen?"

"I don't know, Anatole; the angels of God must have helped me. Oh, I am so happy, so tired, so thirsty; get me a drink."

Then Anatole rose up and did his duty like a good husband.

Two months passed away and the baby throve apace, for the mother was like Venus and had milk enough and to spare. Then one afternoon a couple of whaling ships put in and began work.

"Shall we go with them back to civilisation, Eugene?" asked Anatole.

"Why should we go, unless to have the baby christened? You are happy enough here, are you not, my husband, with baby and me?"

"Yes; and you"?"

"I want no other life. We are safe here. Let us not tempt Providence which has been so kind," and Eugene turned to play with her child.

Anatole had a number of skins to spare, so he did a traffic with the whalers, getting some of their tools, which he strictly required, and a boat in exchange for his sealskins; then after