THE BARN OWL 



"But you did," he said positively. " Having to tell me when 

 to pull, trying to imitate the babies and work the bulb all at 

 once made so much you don't remember. Can't ^ r ou tell from the 

 camera whether you did?" 



" Why, of course ! " I cried joyously. " Take it down at once; 

 and, dear boy, were you ever careful?" 



I vow his eyes were wet as he answered, "Several times 

 lately. You look the other way. It shall come down like a 

 box of eggs," and it did, with the shutter closed. 



My hands shook as I pushed the slide into the plate-holder, 

 and withdrawing the holder, wrapped it in a sheet of rubber. 

 Before eating or sleeping, I carried that plate to my boarding- 

 house and developed it, with the guide peering over my shoulder. 

 It was breathless work. 



"Are you sure that stuff is all right?" he asked as the chemi- 

 cals were measured in the beginning. A minute later: "Can 

 you see anything yet?" Then: "Would it hurt just to take a 

 peep now? She ought to be out enough that you can see if she 

 really is coming." W T hen I first held the dripping plate to the 

 ruby lamp he shouted: "Hello, old monkey-faced moon-eye! I 

 knew we had you! Stopped to look back, didn't you? And 

 just see what we got! Ginger! Ain't she a bird ? Yessir! 

 That's the way she looked, just exact!" 



THE FACE A PERFECT HEART-SHAPE 



