'm concerned." And then followed another rhapsody upon the
fitness of Zoie as the keeper of his future home and hearth, and the
mother of his future sons and daughters. In fact, it was far into the
night when the two friends separated--separated in more than one sense,
as they afterward learned.

While Alfred and Jimmy were saying "good-night" to each other, Zoie and
Aggie in one of the pretty chintz bedrooms of Professor Peck's modest
home, were still exchanging mutual confidences.

"The thing I like about Alfred," said Zoie, as she gazed at the tip of
her dainty satin slipper, and turned her head meditatively to one side,
"is his positive nature. I've never before met any one like him. Do you
know," she added with a sly twinkle in her eye, "it was all I could do
to keep from laughing at him. He's so awfully serious." She giggled to
herself at the recollection of him; then she leaned forward to Aggie,
her small hands clasped across her knees and her face dimpling with
mischief. "He hasn't the remotest idea what I'm like."

Aggie studied her young friend with unmistakable reproach. "I MADE
Jimmy know what I'M like," she said. "I told him ALL my ideas about
everything."

"Good Heavens!" exclaimed Zoie in shocked surprise.

"He's sure to find out sooner or later," said Aggie sagely. "I think
that's the only sensible way to begin."

"If I'd told Alfred all MY ideas about things," smiled Zoie, "there'd
have BEEN no beginning."

"What do you mean?" asked Aggie, with a troubled look.

"Well, take our meeting," explained Zoie. "Just as we were introduced,
that horrid little Willie Peck caught his heel in a flounce of my skirt.
I turned round to slap him, but I saw Alfred looking, so I patted his
ugly little red curls instead. And what do you think? Alfred told me
to-night that it was my devotion to Willie that first made him adore
me."

"And you didn't explain to him?" asked Aggie in amazement.

"And lose him before I'd got him!" exclaimed Zoie.

"It might be better than losing him AFTER you've got him," concluded the
elder girl.

"Oh, Aggie," pouted Zoie, "I think you are horrid. You're just trying to
spoil all the fun of my engagement."

"I am not," cried Aggie, and the next moment she was sitting on the arm
of Zoie's chair.

"Goose!" she said, "how dare you be cross with me?"

"I am NOT cross," declared Zoie, and after the customary apologies from
Aggie, confidence was fully restored on both sides and Zoi