gain he found himself on his feet.

"I will," insisted Zoie, "I give you fair warning."

He stared at her in absolute horror. "I don't believe you've any
conscience at all," he said.

"I haven't," she sniffled. "I'm too miserable." And throwing herself
into the nearest armchair she wept copiously at the thought of her many
injuries.

Uncertain whether to fly or to remain, Jimmy gazed at her gloomily.
"Well, I'M not laughing myself to death," he said.

For answer Zoie turned upon him vehemently. "I just wish I'd never laid
eyes on you, Jimmy," she cried.

Jimmy was wishing the very same thing.

"If I cared about you," she sobbed, "it wouldn't be so bad; but to
think of losing my Alfred for----" words failed her and she trailed off
weakly,--"for nothing!"

"Thanks," grunted Jimmy curtly. In spite of himself he was always miffed
by the uncomplimentary way in which she disposed of him.

His sarcasm was lost upon Zoie. Having finished all she had to say to
him, she was now apparently bent upon indulging herself in a first class
fit of hysterics.

There are critical moments in all of our lives when our future happiness
or woe hangs upon our own decision. Jimmy felt intuitively that he was
face to face with such a moment, but which way to turn? that was the
question. Being Jimmy, and soft-hearted in spite of his efforts to
conceal it, he naturally turned the wrong way, in other words, towards
Zoie.

"Oh, come now," he said awkwardly, as he crossed to the arm of her
chair. "This will soon blow over."

Zoie only sobbed the louder.

"This isn't the first time you and Alfred have called it all off," he
reminded her.

Again she sobbed.

Jimmy could never remember quite how it happened. But apparently he
must have patted Zoie on the shoulder. At any rate, something or other
loosened the flood-gates of her emotion, and before Jimmy could possibly
escape from her vicinity she had wheeled round in her chair, thrown her
arms about him, and buried her tear-stained face against his waist-coat.

"Good Lord!" exclaimed Jimmy, for the third time that morning, as he
glanced nervously toward the door; but Zoie was exclaiming in her own
way and sobbing louder and louder; furthermore she was compelling Jimmy
to listen to an exaggerated account of her many disappointments in her
unreasonable husband. Seeing no possibility of escape, without resorting
to physical violence, Jimmy stood his ground, wondering what to expect
next