Oh，mygriefandconscience，Billy!Itisn’t_the_baby。It’s_babies!_It’stwins——boys。Cyrilhasthemnow——thenursehasn’tgothereyet。’
Twins!_Cyril_hasthem!’brokeinBilly，hysterically。
Yes，andthey’recryingsomethingterrible。
We’vesentforasecondnursetocome，too，ofcourse，butshehasn’tgothereyet，either。Andthosebabies——ifyoucouldhearthem!That’swhatwewantyoufor，to——’
ButBillywasalmostlaughingnow。
Allright，I’llcomeout——andhearthem，’
shecalledabitwildly，asshehungupthereceiver。
Somelittletimelater，apalpablynervousmaidadmittedBillytothehomeofMr。andMrs。CyrilHenshaw。Evenasthedoorwasopened，Billyheardfaintly，butunmistakably，themoaningwailsoftwoinfants。
Mrs。StetsonsaysifyouwillpleasetohelpMr。Henshawwiththebabies，’stammeredthemaid，afterthepreliminaryquestionsandanswers。I’vebeeninwhenIcould，andthey’reallright，onlythey’recrying。They’reinhisden。
Wehadtoputthemasfarawayaspossible——
theircryingworriedMrs。Henshawso。’
Yes，Isee，’murmuredBilly。I’llgotothematonce。No，don’ttroubletocome。I
knowtheway。JusttellMrs。StetsonI’mhere，please，’shefinished，asshetossedherhatandglovesontothehalltable，andturnedtogoupstairs。
Billy’sfeetmadenosoundonthesoftrugs。
Thecrying，however，grewlouderandlouderassheapproachedtheden。Softlysheturnedtheknobandpushedopenthedoor。Shestoppedshort，then，atwhatshesaw。
Cyrilhadnotheardher，norseenher。Hisbackwaspartlytowardthedoor。Hiscoatwasoff，andhishairstoodfiercelyonendasifanervoushandhadruffledit。Hisusuallypalefacewasveryred，andhisforeheadshowedgreatdropsofperspiration。Hewasonhisfeet，hoveringoverthecouch，ateachendofwhichlayarumpledrolloflinen，lace，andflannel，fromwhichemergedaprodigiouslypuckeredlittleface，twouncertainlywavingrose-leaffists，andawailofprotestingragethatwasnotuncertainintheleast。
InonehandCyrilheldaTeddybear，intheotherhiswatch，danglingfromitsfobchain。
Bothoftheseheshookfeebly，oneaftertheother，abovethetinyfaces。
Oh，come，come，prettybaby，goodbaby，hush，hush，’hebeggedagitatedly。
InthedoorwayBillyclappedherhandstoherlipsandstifledalaugh。Billyknew，ofcourse，thatwhatsheshoulddowastogoforwardatonce，andhelpthispoor，distractedman；butBilly，justthen，wasnotdoingwhatsheknewsheoughttodo。
Withamutteredejaculation(whichBilly，tohersorrow，couldnotcatch)CyrillaiddownthewatchandflungtheTeddybearaside。Then，inveryevidentdespair，hegingerlypickeduponeoftherumpledrollsofflannel，lace，andlinen，andhelditstraightoutbeforehim。Afteramoment’sindecisionhebeganawkwardlytojounceit，teeterit，rockitbackandforth，andtopatitjerkily。
Oh，come，come，prettybaby，goodbaby，hush，hush，’hebeggedagain，frantically。
Perhapsitwasthechangeofposition；perhapsitwasthenoveltyofthemotion，perhapsitwasonlyutterweariness，orlackofbreath。Whateverthecause，thewailingsobsfromthebundleinhisarmsdwindledsuddenlytoagentlewhisper，thenceasedaltogether。
Witharayofhopeilluminatinghisdrawncountenance，Cyrilcarefullylaidthebabydownandpickeduptheother。Almostconfidentlynowhebeganthejouncingandteeteringandrockingasbefore。
There，there!Oh，come，come，prettybaby，goodbaby，hush，hush，’hechantedagain。
Thistimehewasnotsosuccessful。Perhapshehadlosthisskill。Perhapsitwasmerelytheworld-olddifferenceinbabies。Atallevents，thisinfantdidnotcareforjerksandjounces，andshoweditplainlybyemittingloudandyetlouderwailsofrage——wailsinwhichhisbrotheronthecouchspeedilyjoined。
Oh，come，come，prettybaby，goodbaby，hush，hush——_confoundit_，HUSH，Isay!’explodedthefrightened，weary，baffled，distractedman，pickinguptheotherbaby，andtryingtoholdbothhissonsatonce。
Billyhurriedforwardthen，tearfully，remorsefully，herfaceallsympathy，herarmsalltenderness。
Here，Cyril，letmehelpyou，’shecried。
Cyrilturnedabruptly。
ThankGod，_some_one’scome，’hegroaned，holdingoutboththebabies，withanexuberanceofgenerosity。Billy，you’vesavedmylife!’
Billylaughedtremulously。
Yes，I’vecome，Cyril，andI’llhelpeverybitIcan；butIdon’tknowathing——notasinglethingaboutthemmyself。Dearme，aren’ttheycunning？But，Cyril，dotheyalwayscryso？’
Thefather-of-an-hourdrewhimselfstifflyerect。
Cry？Whatdoyoumean？Whyshouldn’ttheycry？’hedemandedindignantly。IwantyoutounderstandthatDoctorBrownsaidthosewereAnumberIfineboys!Anyhow，Iguessthere’snodoubtthey’vegotlungsallright，’headded，withagrimsmile，ashepulledouthishandkerchiefanddrewitacrosshisperspiringbrow。
BillydidnothaveanopportunitytoshowCyrilhowmuchorhowlittlesheknewaboutbabies，forinanotherminutethemaidhadappearedwiththeextranurse；andthatyoungwoman，withtrainedcelerityandeasyconfidence，assumedinstantcommand，andspeedilyhadpeaceandorderrestored。
Cyril，freedfromresponsibility，castlongingeyes，foramoment，uponhiswork；butthenextminute，withadespairingglanceabouthim，heturnedandfledprecipitately。
Billy，followingthedirectionofhiseyes，suppressedasmile。OnthetopofCyril’smanuscriptmusiconthetablelayahot-waterbottle。Drapedoverthebackofhisfavoritechairwasapink-
borderedbabyblanket。Onthepiano-stoolrestedaberibbonedandberuffledbaby’stoiletbasket。
FrombehindthesofapillowleeredridiculouslytheTeddybear，justasithadleftCyril’sdesperatehand。
Nowonder，indeed，thatBillysmiled。BillywasthinkingofwhatMariehadsaidnotaweekbefore：
Ishallkeepthebaby，ofcourse，inthenursery。
I’vebeeninhomeswherethey’vehadbabythingsstrewnfromoneendofthehousetotheother；butitwon’tbethatwayhere。Inthefirstplace，Idon’tbelieveinit；but，evenifIdid，I’dhavetobecarefulonaccountofCyril。ImagineCyril’stryingtowritehismusicwithababyintheroom!No!Ishallkeepthebabyinthenursery，ifpossible；butwhereveritis，itwon’tbeanywherenearCyril’sden，anyway。’
Billysuppressedmanyasmileduringthedaysthatimmediatelyfollowedthecomingofthetwins。Someofthesmiles，however，refusedtobesuppressed。Theybecame，indeed，shamelesslyaudiblechuckles。
Billywastosailthetenth，and，naturally，duringthoseearlyJulydays，hertimewasprettymuchoccupiedwithherpreparationsfordeparture；
butnothingcouldkeepherfromfrequent，thoughshort，visitstothehomeofherbrother-
in-law。
Thetwinswereprovingthemselvestobefine，healthyboys。Twotrainedmaids，andtwotrainednursesruledthehouseholdwitharodofiron。AstoCyril——BillydeclaredthatCyrilwaslearningsomethingeverydayofhislifenow。
Oh，yes，he’slearningthings，’shesaidtoAuntHannah，onemorning；lotsofthings。
Forinstance：hehashisbreakfastnow，notwhenhewantsit，butwhenthemaidwantstogiveittohim——whichispreciselyateighto’clockeverymorning。Sohe’slearningpunctuality。Andforthefirsttimeinhislifehehasdiscoveredtheastoundingfactthatthereareseveralthingsmoreimportantintheworldthanisthespecialpieceofmusichehappenstobecomposing——
chieflythetwins’bath，thetwins’nap，thetwins’
airing，andthetwins’colic。’
AuntHannahlaughed，thoughshefrowned，too。
But，surely，Billy，withtwonursesandthemaids，Cyrildoesn’thaveto——to——’Shecametoahelplesspause。
Oh，no，’laughedBilly；Cyrildoesn’thavetoreallyattendtoanyofthosethings——thoughIhaveseeneachofthenurses，atdifferenttimes，unhesitatinglythrustatwinintohisarmsandbidhimholdthechildtillshecomesback。Butit’sthisway。Yousee，Mariemustbekeptquiet，andthenurseryisverynearherroom。Itworriesherterriblywheneitherofthechildrencries。
Besides，thelittlerascalshaveapparentlyfixedupsomesortoflabor-unioncompactwitheachother，sothatifonecriesforsomethingornothing，theotherpromptlyjoinsinandhelps。Sothenurseshavegotintothehabitofpickingupthefirstdisturberofthepeace，andhurryinghimtoquartersremote；andCyril’sdenbeingthemostremoteofall，theyusuallyfetchupthere。’
Youmean——theytakethosebabiesintoCyril’sden——_now_？’EvenAuntHannahwasplainlyaghast。
Yes，’twinkledBilly。IfancytheirHygienicImmaculaciesapprovedofCyril’sbarefloors，undrapedwindows，andgenerallyknick-
knacklesscondition。Anyhow，they’vemadehisdenasortof——ofannextothenursery。’
But——butCyril!Whatdoeshesay？’
stammeredthedumfoundedAuntHannah。ThinkofCyril’sstandingathinglikethat!Doesn’thedoanything——orsayanything？’
Billysmiled，andliftedherbrowsquizzically。
MydearAuntHannah，didyoueverknow_many_peopletohavethecourageto`saythings’
tooneofthosebecapped，beaproned，bespotlesscreaturesofloftilysuperbsuperiorityknownastrainednurses？Besides，youwouldn’trecognizeCyrilnow。Nobodywould。He’sasmeekasMoses，andhasbeeneversincehistwoyoungsonswerelaidinhisreluctant，tremblingarms。Hebreaksintoacoldsweatatnothing，andmovesabouthisownhomeasifhewereastrangerandaninterloper，enduredmerelyonsufferanceinthisabodeofstrangewomenandstrangebabies。’
Nonsense!’scoffedAuntHannah。
Butit’sso，’maintainedBilly，merrily。
Now，forinstance。YouknowCyrilalwayshasbeeninthehabitofventinghismoodsonthepiano(justasIdo，onlymoreso)byplayingexactlyashefeels。Well，asnearasIcangather，hewasathisusualtrickthenextdayafterthetwinsarrived；andyoucanimagineaboutwhatsortofmusicitwouldbe，afterwhathehadbeenthroughtheprecedingforty-eighthours。
OfcourseIdon’tknowexactlywhathappened，butJulia——Marie’ssecondmaid，youknow——tellsthestory。She’sbeenwiththemlongenoughtoknowsomethingofthewaythewholehouseholdalwaysturnsonthepivotofthemaster’swhims；soshefullyappreciatedthesituation。Shesayssheheardhimbegintoplay，andthatsheneverheardsuchqueer，creepy，shiverymusicinherlife；butthathehadn’tbeenplayingfiveminutesbeforeoneofthenursescameintotheliving-roomwhereJuliawasdusting，andtoldhertotellwhoeverwasplayingtostopthatdreadfulnoise，astheywantedtotakethetwinsintherefortheirnap。
`ButIdidn’tdoit，ma’am，’Juliasays。`I
wa’n’tlookin’forlosin’myplace，an’Ilettheyoungwomandothejobherself。An’shedoneit，pertasyouplease。An’jestasIwasseekin’
ahidin’-placefortheexplosion，ifMr。Henshawdidn’tcomeoutlookin’alittlewild，butasmeekasalamb；an’whenheseesmeheaskedwouldn’tIpleasegethimacupofcoffee，goodan’strong。
An’Igotit。’
Soyousee，’finishedBilly，Cyrilislearningthings——lotsofthings。’
Oh，mygriefandconscience!Ishouldsayhewas，’half-shiveredAuntHannah。_Cyril_
lookingmeekasalamb，indeed!’
Billylaughedmerrily。
