Part 26 (2/2)

”You don't mean----” He stared from the infant in his arms to the one in the cradle, then back again at Aggie and Zoie. The women solemnly nodded their heads. Even Jimmy unblus.h.i.+ngly acquiesced. Alfred turned toward Zoie for the final confirmation of his hopes.

”Yes, dear,” a.s.sented Zoie sweetly, ”that's Alfred.”

What Jimmy and the women saw next appeared to be the dance of a whirling dervish; as a matter of fact, it was merely a man, mad with delight, clasping two infants in long clothes and circling the room with them.

When Alfred could again enunciate distinctly, he rushed to Zoie's side with the babes in his arms.

”My darling,” he exclaimed, ”why didn't you tell me?”

”I was ashamed,” whispered Zoie, hiding her head to shut out the sight of the red faces pressed close to hers.

”My angel!” cried Alfred, struggling to control his complicated emotions; then gazing at the precious pair in his arms, he cast his eyes devoutly toward heaven, ”Was ever a man so blessed?”

Zoie peeped from the covers with affected shyness.

”You love me just as much?” she queried.

”I love you TWICE as much,” declared Alfred, and with that he sank exhausted on the foot of the bed, vainly trying to teeter one son on each knee.

CHAPTER XXII

When Jimmy gained courage to turn his eyes in the direction of the family group he had helped to a.s.semble, he was not rea.s.sured by the reproachful glances that he met from Aggie and Zoie. It was apparent that in their minds, he was again to blame for something. Realising that they dared not openly reproach him before Alfred, he decided to make his escape while his friend was still in the room. He reached for his hat and tiptoed gingerly toward the door, but just as he was congratulating himself upon his decision, Alfred called to him with a mysterious air.

”Jimmy,” he said, ”just a minute,” and he nodded for Jimmy to approach.

It must have been Jimmy's guilty conscience that made him powerless to disobey Alfred's every command. Anyway, he slunk back to the fond parent's side, where he ultimately allowed himself to be inveigled into swinging his new watch before the unattentive eyes of the red-faced babes on Alfred's knees.

”Lower, Jimmy, lower,” called Alfred as Jimmy absent-mindedly allowed the watch to swing out of the prescribed orbit. ”Look at the darlings, Jimmy, look at them,” he exclaimed as he gazed at the small creatures admiringly.

”Yes, look at them, Jimmy,” repeated Zoie, and she glared at Jimmy behind Alfred's back.

”Don't you wish you had one of them, Jimmy?'” asked Alfred.

”Well, _I_ wish he had,” commented Zoie, and she wondered how she was ever again to detach either of them from Alfred's breast.

Before she could form any plan, the telephone rang loud and persistently. Jimmy glanced anxiously toward the women for instructions.

”I'll answer it,” said Aggie with suspicious alacrity, and she crossed quickly toward the 'phone. The scattered bits of conversation that Zoie was able to gather from Aggie's end of the wire did not tend to soothe her over-excited nerves. As for Alfred, he was fortunately so engrossed with the babies that he took little notice of what Aggie was saying.

”What woman?” asked Aggie into the 'phone. ”Where's she from?” The answer was evidently not rea.s.suring. ”Certainly not,” exclaimed Aggie, ”don't let her come up; send her away. Mrs. Hardy can't see anyone at all.” Then followed a bit of pantomime between Zoie and Aggie, from which it appeared that their troubles were multiplying, then Aggie again gave her attention to the 'phone. ”I don't know anything about her,” she fibbed, ”that woman must have the wrong address.” And with that she hung up the receiver and came towards Alfred, anxious to get possession of his two small charges and to get them from the room, lest the mother who was apparently downstairs should thrust herself into their midst.

”What's the trouble, Aggie?” asked Alfred, and he nodded toward the telephone.

”Oh, just some woman with the wrong address,” answered Aggie with affected carelessness. ”You'd better let me take the babies now, Alfred.”

”Take them where?” asked Alfred with surprise.

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