Part 11 (1/2)
she asked.
”That's the LATEST,” sniffled Zoie, in a heap at Aggie's feet. And then she continued in a much aggrieved tone, ”You know he's ALWAYS rowing because we haven't as many babies as the cook has cats.”
”Well, why don't you get him a baby?” asked the practical, far-seeing Aggie.
”It's too late NOW,” moaned Zoie.
”Not at all,” rea.s.sured Aggie. ”It's the very thing that would bring him back.”
”How COULD I get one?” questioned Zoie, and she looked up at Aggie with round astonished eyes.
”Adopt it,” answered Aggie decisively.
Zoie regarded her friend with mingled disgust and disappointment. ”No,”
she said with a sigh and a shake of her head, ”that wouldn't do any good. Alfred's so fussy. He always wants his OWN things around.”
”He needn't know,” declared Aggie boldly.
”What do you mean?” whispered Zoie.
Drawing herself up with an air of great importance, and regarding the wondering young person at her knee with smiling condescension, Aggie prepared to make a most interesting disclosure.
”There was a long article in the paper only this morning,” she told Zoie, ”saying that three thousand husbands in this VERY CITY are fondling babies not their own.”
Zoie turned her small head to one side, the better to study Aggie's face. It was apparent to the latter that she must be much more explicit.
”Babies adopted in their absence,” explained Aggie, ”while they were on trips around the country.”
A dangerous light began to glitter in Zoie's eyes.
”Aggie!” she cried, bringing her small hands together excitedly, ”do you think I COULD?”
”Why not?” asked Aggie, with a very superior air. Zoie's enthusiasm was increasing her friend's admiration of her own scheme. ”This same paper tells of a woman who adopted three sons while her husband was in Europe, and he thinks each one of them is his.”
”Where can we get some?” cried Zoie, now thoroughly enamoured of the idea.
”You can always get TONS of them at the Children's Home,” answered Aggie confidently.
”I can't endure babies,” declared Zoie, ”but I'd do ANYTHING to get Alfred back. Can we get one TO-DAY?” she asked.
Aggie looked at her small friend with positive pity. ”You don't WANT one TO-DAY,” she explained.
Zoie rolled her large eyes inquiringly.
”If you were to get one to-day,” continued Aggie, ”Alfred would know it wasn't yours, wouldn't he?”
A light of understanding began to show on Zoie's small features.
”There was none when he left this morning,” added Aggie.
”That's true,” acquiesced Zoie.