tically she flew to the
'phone. "Give me 4302 Main," she called and she tried to force back her
tears. "Is this Hardy & Company?" she asked.

"Well, this is Mrs. Hardy," she explained.

"I wish you'd ring me up the moment my husband comes in." There was a
slight pause, then she clutched the receiver harder. "Not COMING back?"
she gasped. "Gone!--to Detroit?" A short moan escaped her lips. She
let the receiver fall back on the hook and her head went forward on her
outstretched arms.

CHAPTER X

When Jimmy came home to luncheon that day, Aggie succeeded in getting a
general idea of the state of affairs in the Hardy household. Of course
Jimmy didn't tell the whole truth. Oh, no--far from it. In fact, he
appeared to be aggravatingly ignorant as to the exact cause of the Hardy
upheaval. Of ONE thing, however, he was certain. "Alfred was going to
quit Chicago and leave Zoie to her own devices."

"Jimmy!" cried Aggie. "How awful!" and before Jimmy was fairly out of
the front gate, she had seized her hat and gloves and rushed to the
rescue of her friend.

Not surprised at finding Zoie in a state of collapse, Aggie opened her
arms sympathetically to receive the weeping confidences that she was
sure would soon come.

"Zoie dear," she said as the fragile mite rocked to and fro. "What is
it?" She pressed the soft ringlets from the girl's throbbing forehead.

"It's Alfred," sobbed Zoie. "He's gone!"

"Yes, I know," answered Aggie tenderly. "Isn't it awful? Jimmy just told
me."

"Jimmy told you WHAT?" questioned Zoie, and she lifted her head and
regarded Aggie with sudden uneasiness. Her friend's answer raised Jimmy
considerably in Zoie's esteem. Apparently he had not breathed a word
about the luncheon.

"Why, Jimmy told me," continued Aggie, "that you and Alfred had had
another tiff, and that Alfred had gone for good."

"For GOOD!" echoed Zoie and her eyes were wide with terror. "Did Alfred
tell Jimmy that?"

Aggie nodded.

"Then he MEANS it!" cried Zoie, at last fully convinced of the strength
of Alfred's resolve. "But he shan't," she declared emphatically. "I
won't let him. I'll go after him. He has no right----" By this time she
was running aimlessly about the room.

"What did you do to him?" asked Aggie, feeling sure that Zoie was as
usual at fault.

"Nothing," answered Zoie with wide innocent eyes.

"Nothing?" echoed Aggie, with little confidence in her friend's ability
to judge impartially about so