Part 15 (1/2)

When Alfred's partner returned from luncheon he found a curt note informing him that Alfred had left on a special for Chicago and would ”write.”

”I'll bet it's his wife!” said the partner.

CHAPTER XIV

During the evening of the same day that Alfred was enjoying such pleasurable emotions, Zoie and Aggie were closeted in the pretty pink and white bedroom that the latter had tried to describe to Jimmy. On a rose-coloured couch in front of the fire sat Aggie threading ribbons through various bits of soft white linen, and in front of her, at the foot of a rose-draped bed, knelt Zoie. She was trying the effect of a large pink bow against the lace flounce of an empty but inviting ba.s.sinette.

”How's that?” she called to Aggie, as she turned her head to one side and surveyed the result of her experiment with a critical eye.

Aggie shot a grudging glance at the ba.s.sinette. ”I wish you wouldn't bother me every moment,” she said. ”I'll never get all these things finished.”

Apparently Zoie decided that the bow was properly placed, for she applied herself to sewing it fast to the lining. In her excitement she gave the thread a vicious pull. ”Oh, dear, oh dear, my thread is always breaking!” she sighed in vexation.

”You're excited,” said Aggie.

”Wouldn't YOU be excited,” questioned Zoie'”if you were expecting a baby and a husband in the morning?”

”I suppose I should,” admitted Aggie.

For a time the two friends sewed in silence, then Zoie looked up with sudden anxiety.

”You're SURE Jimmy sent the wire?” she asked.

”I saw him write it,” answered Aggie, ”while I was in the office to-day.”

”When will Alfred get it?” demanded Zoie eagerly.

”Oh, he won't GET it until to-morrow morning,” said Aggie. ”I told you that to-day. It's a night message.”

”I wonder what he'll be doing when he gets it?” mused Zoie. There was a suspicion of a smile around her lips.

”What will he do AFTER he gets it?” questioned Aggie.

Looking up at her friend in alarm, Zoie suddenly ceased sewing. ”You don't mean he won't come?” she gasped.

”Of course I don't,” answered Aggie. ”He's only HUMAN if he is a husband.”

There was a sceptical expression around Zoie's mouth, but she did not pursue the subject. ”How do you suppose that red baby will ever look in this pink basket?” she asked. And then with a regretful little sigh, she declared that she wished she'd ”used blue.”

”I didn't think the baby that we chose was so horribly red,” said Aggie.

”Red!” cried Zoie, ”it's magenta.” And again her thread broke. ”Oh, darn!” she exclaimed in annoyance, and once more rethreaded her needle.

”I couldn't look at it,” she continued with a disgusted little pucker of her face. ”I wish they had let us take it this afternoon so I could have got used to it before Alfred gets here.”

”Now don't be silly,” scolded Aggie. ”You know very well that the Superintendent can't let it leave the home until its mother signs the papers. It will be here the first thing in the morning. You'll have all day to get used to it before Alfred gets here.”

”ALL DAY,” echoed Zoie, and the corners of her mouth began to droop.

”Won't Alfred be here before TO-MORROW NIGHT?”