Chapter IV

by Kate Douglas Wiggin

　　IVWell, the problem never was solved, never in this world, at least; andthose who were in the sitting-room chamber when Eva was shown her twobabies lying side by side on a pillow, never forgot the quick glanceof horrified incredulity, or the shriek of aversion with which shegreeted them.

　　Letty had a sense of humor, and it must be confessed that when thescorned and discarded babies were returned to her, and she sat by thekitchen stove trying to plan a second bottle, a second cradle, and seehow far the expected baby could divide its modest outfit with theunexpected one, she burst into a fit of hysterical laughter mingledwith an outpour of tears.

　　The doctor came in from the sick-room puzzled and crestfallen from hisinterview with an entirely new specimen of woman-kind. He had broughtLetty and David into the world and soothed the last days of all herfamily, and now in this tragedy—for tragedy it was—he was her onlyconfidant and adviser.

　　Letty looked at him, the tears streaming from her eyes.

　　"Oh, Doctor Lee, Doctor Lee! If an overruling Providence could smile,wouldn't He smile now? David and Eva never wanted to marry each other,I'm sure of it, and the last thing they desired was a child. Nowthere are two of them. Their father is away, their mother won't lookat them! What will become of me until Eva gets well and behaves like ahuman being? I never promised to be an aunt to twins; I never did liketwins; I think they're downright vulgar!"

　　"Waly waly! bairns are bonny:

　　One's enough and twa's ower mony,"