; he could not. He feared she would read his guilt in his eyes. "What
guilt?" he asked himself. There was no longer any denying the fact--a
secret had sprung up between them.

Annoyed at receiving no greeting, Aggie continued in a rather hurt
voice:

"Aren't you two going to speak to me?"

Alfred swallowed hard in an effort to regain his composure.

"Good-morning," he said curtly.

Fully convinced of a disagreement between the two old friends, Aggie
addressed herself in a reproachful tone to Jimmy.

"My dear," she said, "what are you doing here this time of day?"

Jimmy felt Alfred's steely eyes upon him. "Why!" he stammered. "Why, I
just came over to--bring your message."

"My message?" repeated Aggie in perplexity. "What message?"

Alfred's eyebrows drew themselves sharply together.

Jimmy had told so many lies this morning that another more or less could
not matter; moreover, this was not a time to hesitate.

"Why, the message you sent to Zoie," he answered boldly.

"But I sent no message to Zoie," said Aggie.

"What!" thundered Alfred, so loud that Aggie's fingers involuntarily
went to her ears. She was more and more puzzled by the odd behaviour of
the two.

"I mean yesterday's message," corrected Jimmy. And he assumed an
aggrieved air toward Aggie.

"You villain," exclaimed Aggie. "I told you to 'phone her yesterday
morning from the office."

"Yes, I know," agreed Jimmy placidly, "but I forgot it and I just came
over to explain." Alfred's fixed stare was relaxing and at last Jimmy
could breathe.

"Oh," murmured Aggie, with a wise little elevation of her eye-brows,
"then that's why Zoie didn't keep her luncheon appointment with me
yesterday."

Jimmy felt that if this were to go on much longer, he would utter one
wild shriek and give himself up for lost; but at present he merely
swallowed with an effort, and awaited developments.

It was now Alfred's turn to become excited.

"Oh, IS it!" he cried with hysterical laughter.

Aggie regarded him with astonishment. Was this her usually
self-controlled friend?

"Oh, no!" sneered Alfred with unmistakable pity for her credulity.
"That's not why my wife didn't eat luncheon with you. She may TELL you
that's why. She undoubtedly will; but it's NOT why. Oh, no!" and running
his hands through his hair, Alfred tore up and down the room.

"What do you mean by that?" Aggie asked in amazement.

"Your dear husband Jimmy will doubtless explain," answered