Shelley he had made up his mind, and they would keep the baby and
bring it up as their own daughter. Here, however, Mrs. Shelley raised an
objection.
"We will keep it, by all means, John, but we can't bring a delicate
little thing like this up as we shall our own strong boys, who must work
for their living. This child may be claimed any day by its parents, so
we must try and have it educated like a lady when it gets old enough."
John was inclined to dispute the wisdom of this; but as its education
was a thing of the far future, he very wisely thought it was useless to
discuss it, and resolved to let matters shape themselves, feeling sure
the baby would take its own place as it grew older. One matter puzzled
the good shepherd sorely. He was most particular in having his own
children baptised when they were a month old, and they could not tell
whether this baby had been baptised or no, though the rector thought its
parents were most likely Roman Catholics, in which case it would be sure
to have been christened, as it was two or three months old.
The next question was, what was it to be called? For, if baptised, they
had no means of discovering its name.
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