"Married--married," she murmured, and then with delight she found
the half column for which she was searching. "Born," she exclaimed
triumphantly. "Here we are! Get a pencil, Zoie, and we'll take down all
the new ones."

"Of course," agreed Zoie, clapping her hands in glee, "and Jimmy can get
a taxi and look them right up."

"Oh, CAN he?" shouted Jimmy as he rose with clenched fists. "Now you
two, see here----"

Before Jimmy could complete his threat, there was a sharp ring of the
door bell. He looked at the two women inquiringly.

"It's the mother," cried Zoie in a hoarse whisper.

"The mother!" repeated Jimmy in terror and he glanced uncertainly from
one door to the other.

"Cover up the baby!" called Zoie, and drawing Jimmy's overcoat quickly
from his arm, Aggie threw it hurriedly over the cradle.

For an instant Jimmy remained motionless in the centre of the room,
hatless, coatless, and shorn of ideas. A loud knock on the door decided
him and he sank with trembling knees behind the nearest armchair, just
as Zoie made a flying leap into the bed and prepared to draw the cover
over her head.

The knock was repeated and Aggie signalled to Zoie to answer it.

"Come in!" called Zoie very faintly.

CHAPTER XIX

From his hiding-place Jimmy peeped around the edge of the armchair and
saw what seemed to be a large clothes basket entering the room. Closer
inspection revealed the small figure of Maggie, the washerwoman's
daughter, propelling the basket, which was piled high with freshly
laundered clothing. Jimmy drew a long sigh of relief, and unknotted his
cramped limbs.

"Shall I lay the things on the sofa, mum?" asked Maggie as she placed
her basket on the floor and waited for Zoie's instructions.

"Yes, please," answered Zoie, too exhausted for further comment.

Taking the laundry piece by piece from the basket, Maggie made excuses
for its delay, while she placed it on the couch. Deaf to Maggie's
chatter, Zoie lay back languidly on her pillows; but she soon heard
something that lifted her straight up in bed.

"Me mother is sorry she had to kape you waitin' this week," said Maggie
over her shoulder; "but we've got twins at OUR house."

"Twins!" echoed Zoie and Aggie simultaneously. Then together they stared
at Maggie as though she had been dropped from another world.

Finding attention temporarily diverted from himself, Jimmy had begun to
rearrange both his mind and his cravat when he felt rather than