"He will be back soon. I must be quick; now is my time," said the
carpenter to himself, making his way towards the house by the clump of
trees, which afforded him a little shelter. Here he paused for a few
minutes, and, after listening intently, put the baby on the ground while
he took off his shoes. Then, picking it up, he crept quickly and
noiselessly across the path towards the front door, on the step of which
he laid his burden, and then crept back to the trees, where he put on
his shoes, and with the purse which Leon had given him for the baby's
maintenance in his pocket, he made his way back to the boat on the
beach, congratulating himself on the success of his scheme. No one, he
argued, was any the worse for it, while he was one thousand francs the
better. He had wronged no one, as the baby was sure to be well taken
care of. John Shelley was certain to take it in, and would probably
think the Lord had sent it to him, and, with a chuckle over the
shepherd's simplicity, he went his way.
The baby was asleep when he deposited it on the doorstep, but it woke
shortly after, and began to cry lustily for food, but the doors and
windows being all closed, its wailing did not penetrate to the inside of
the house.
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