on. "Wait a minute."

Alfred looked down at her in surprise.

She turned her face toward the door, and called lustily, "Aggie! Aggie!"

"What is it, dear?" questioned Alfred, thinking Zoie suddenly ill, "can
I get you something?"

Before Zoie was obliged to reply, Aggie answered her summons.

"Did you call?" she asked, glancing inquiringly into Zoie's distressed
face.

"Alfred's here," said Zoie, with a sickly smile as she stroked his hand
and glanced meaningly at Aggie. "He's GOT the OFFICER!"

"The OFFICER?" cried Aggie, and involuntarily she took a step backward,
as though to guard the bedroom door.

"Yes," said Alfred, mistaking Aggie's surprise for a compliment to his
resource; "and now, Aggie, if you'll just stay with Zoie for a minute
I'll have a look at my boys."

"No, no!" exclaimed Aggie, nervously, and she placed herself again in
front of the bedroom door.

Alfred was plainly annoyed by her proprietory air.

"They're asleep," explained Aggie.

"I'll not WAKE them," persisted Alfred, "I just wish to have a LOOK at
them," and with that he again made a move toward the door.

"But Alfred," protested Zoie, still clinging to his hand, "you're not
going to leave me again--so soon."

Alfred was becoming more and more restive under the seeming absurdity of
their persistent opposition, but before he could think of a polite way
of over-ruling them, Aggie continued persuasively.

"You stay with Zoie," she said. "I'll bring the boys in here and you can
both have a look at them."

"But Aggie," argued Alfred, puzzled by her illogical behaviour, "would
it be wise to wake them?"

"Just this once," said Aggie. "Now you stay here and I'll get them."
Before Alfred could protest further she was out of the room and the door
had closed behind her, so he resigned himself to her decision, banished
his temporary annoyance at her obstinacy, and glanced about the room
with a new air of proprietorship.

"This is certainly a great night, Zoie," he said.

"It certainly is," acquiesced Zoie, with an over emphasis that made
Alfred turn to her with new concern.

"I'm afraid that mad woman made you very nervous, dear," he said.

"She certainly did," said Zoie.

Zoie's nerves were destined to bear still further strain, for at that
moment, there came a sharp ring at the door.

Beside herself with anxiety Zoie threw her arms about Alfred, who had
advanced to soothe her, drew him down by her side and buried her head on