"All went as had been planned, and my dear friends here were so pleased with themselves at the little scheme, that they planned to return home with me to-night and see how I liked the baby-surprise. But this is where an unexpected and unknown actor entered upon the stage.
"James Martin was not killed in battle. He was wounded and taken prisoner by the Germans. He was so dangerously injured that he was left to die in a small town in the interior. But he managed to pull through, and after many months of convalescence, he worked his way from Germany back to Paris.
"It took several months more to identify him and get a passport for him to America. When he went to his old home town to find his wife and child, he learned that one was dead and the other was taken away by the aunt. The shock sent him to the county hospital again, and it was several months before he could get out to start a hunt for his boy.
"He learned where Martha had gone, and to-night, James called at the house to ask Mrs. Ashby if she knew anything about his boy and aunt. I happened to be in the hall when he came in.
"So here we are, girls; you lose a protegé and I lose a boy."
"Oh, but James wins back his boy again!" cried Polly, delightedly.
"I want to know, Mr. Dalken," demanded Eleanor, frowning, "did Ruth Ashby know the truth about this when she told us that yarn about Martha?"
Mr. Dalken laughed. "No, girls. Poor Ruth is as upset about it as you could wish her to be. She wants me to adopt Billy, anyway, even with his real father on hand to claim him. I really think Mrs. Ashby is the one we have to put through the third degree on this whole plot."
Mrs. Ashby looked up and smiled. "Well, I told the truth about the matter, didn't I? But I refrained from telling Ruth that Martha was the same woman who was aunt to Billy, and I withheld the facts that Billy was the same baby that you girls found on your door-step--that's all."
"That's all----" laughed Mr. Dalken. "As if that was not enough! To deprive me of the son my two pet girls tried to place in my arms."
Polly flung herself in his arms and hugged him as she said, "Nolla and I will have to adopt you ourselves, now."
And he whispered in her ear, so only she could hear: "You haven't any idea how happy you girls make me. I have found something in life worth while, since I found all of these good friends."