f a drunken man
Alfred called upon the Diety. "What is THAT?" he demanded as he pointed
toward the unexpected object before him.

Neither Zoie, Aggie, nor Jimmy could command words to assist Alfred's
rapidly waning powers of comprehension, and it was not until he had
swept each face for the third time with a look of inquiry that Zoie
found breath to stammer nervously, "Why--why--why, that's the OTHER
one."

"The other one?" echoed Alfred in a dazed manner; then he turned to
Aggie for further explanation.

"Yes," affirmed Aggie, with an emphatic nod, "the other one."

An undescribable joy was dawning on Alfred's face.

"You don't mean----" He stared from the infant in his arms to the one in
the cradle, then back again at Aggie and Zoie. The women solemnly nodded
their heads. Even Jimmy unblushingly acquiesced. Alfred turned toward
Zoie for the final confirmation of his hopes.

"Yes, dear," assented Zoie sweetly, "that's Alfred."

What Jimmy and the women saw next appeared to be the dance of a whirling
dervish; as a matter of fact, it was merely a man, mad with delight,
clasping two infants in long clothes and circling the room with them.

When Alfred could again enunciate distinctly, he rushed to Zoie's side
with the babes in his arms.

"My darling," he exclaimed, "why didn't you tell me?"

"I was ashamed," whispered Zoie, hiding her head to shut out the sight
of the red faces pressed close to hers.

"My angel!" cried Alfred, struggling to control his complicated
emotions; then gazing at the precious pair in his arms, he cast his eyes
devoutly toward heaven, "Was ever a man so blessed?"

Zoie peeped from the covers with affected shyness.

"You love me just as much?" she queried.

"I love you TWICE as much," declared Alfred, and with that he sank
exhausted on the foot of the bed, vainly trying to teeter one son on
each knee.

CHAPTER XXII

When Jimmy gained courage to turn his eyes in the direction of the
family group he had helped to assemble, he was not reassured by the
reproachful glances that he met from Aggie and Zoie. It was apparent
that in their minds, he was again to blame for something. Realising that
they dared not openly reproach him before Alfred, he decided to make his
escape while his friend was still in the room. He reached for his hat
and tiptoed gingerly toward the door, but just as he was congratulating
himself upon his decision, Alfred called to him with a mysterious air.

"Ji