d, she caught
the reproving eye of Aggie. With a weak little sigh, she relaxed her
tenacious hold of Alfred, breathed his name very faintly, and sank back,
apparently exhausted, upon her pillows.

"It's been too much for her," said the terrified young husband, and he
glanced toward Aggie in anxiety.

Aggie nodded assent.

"How pale she looks," added Alfred, as he surveyed the white face on the
pillows.

"She's so weak, poor dear," sympathised Aggie, almost in a whisper.

Alfred nodded his understanding to Aggie. It was then that his attention
was for the first time attracted toward the crib.

"My boy!" he exclaimed. And again Zoie forgot Aggie's warning and
sat straight up in bed. But Alfred did not see her. He was making
determinedly for the crib, his heart beating high with the pride of
possession.

Throwing back the coverlets of the bassinette, Alfred stared at the
empty bed in silence, then he quickly turned to the two anxious women.
"Where is he?" he asked, his eyes wide with terror.

Zoie's lips opened to answer, but no words came.

Alfred's eyes turned to Aggie. The look on her face increased his worst
fears. "Don't tell me he's----" he could not bring himself to utter the
word. He continued to look helplessly from one woman to the other.

In vain Zoie again tried to answer. Aggie also made an unsuccessful
attempt to speak. Then, driven to desperation by the strain of the
situation, Zoie declared boldly: "He's out."

"Out?" echoed Alfred in consternation.

"With Jimmy," explained Aggie, coming to Zoie's rescue as well as she
knew how.

"Jimmy!" repeated Alfred in great astonishment.

"Just for a breath of air," explained Zoie sweetly She had now entirely
regained her self-possession.

"Isn't he very young to be out at night?" asked Alfred with a puzzled
frown.

"We told Jimmy that," answered Aggie, amazed at the promptness
with which each succeeding lie presented itself. "But you see," she
continued, "Jimmy is so crazy about the child that we can't do anything
with him."

"Jimmy crazy about my baby?" exclaimed Alfred incredulously. "He always
said babies were 'little red worms.'"

"Not this one," answered Zoie sweetly.

"No, indeed," chimed in Aggie. "He acts as though he owned it."

"Oh, DOES he?" exclaimed Alfred hotly. "I'll soon put a stop to that,"
he declared. "Where did he take him?"

Again the two women looked at each other inquiringly, then Aggie
stammered evasively.

"Oh,