Part 37 (1/2)

”You imagined it, Zoie,” she declared, ”look for yourself.”

Zoie's small face peeped cautiously around the edge of the doorway.

”Well, perhaps I did,” she admitted; then she slipped gingerly into the room, ”my nerves are jumping like fizzy water.”

They were soon to ”jump” more, for at this instant, Alfred, burning with anger at the indignity of having been locked in the bathroom, entered the room, demanding to know the whereabouts of the lunatic mother, who had dared to make him a captive in his own house.

”Where is she?” he called to Zoie and Aggie, and his eye roved wildly about the room. Then his mind reverted with anxiety to his newly acquired offspring. ”My boys!” he cried, and he rushed toward the crib.

”They're gone!” he declared tragically.

”Gone?” echoed Aggie.

”Not ALL of them,” said Zoie.

”All,” insisted Alfred, and his hands went distractedly toward his head.

”She's taken them all.”

Zoie and Aggie looked at each other in a dazed way. They had a hazy recollection of having seen one babe disappear with the Italian woman, but what had become of the other two?

”Where did they go?” asked Aggie.

”I don't know,” said Zoie, with the first truth she had spoken that night, ”I left them with Jimmy.”

”Jimmy!” shrieked Alfred, and a diabolical light lit his features.

”Jimmy!” he snorted, with sudden comprehension, ”then he's at it again.

He's crazy as she is. This is inhuman. This joke has got to stop!” And with that decision he started toward the outer door.

”But Allie!” protested Zoie, really alarmed by the look that she saw on his face.

Alfred turned to his trembling wife with suppressed excitement, and patted her shoulder condescendingly.

”Control yourself, my dear,” he said. ”Control yourself; I'll get your babies for you--trust me, I'll get them. And then,” he added with parting emphasis from the doorway, ”I'll SETTLE WITH JIMMY!”

By uncovering one eye, Jimmy could now perceive that Zoie and Aggie were engaged in a heated argument at the opposite side of the room. By uncovering one ear he learned that they were arranging a line of action for him immediately upon his reappearance. He determined not to wait for the details.

Fixing himself cautiously on all fours, and making sure that he was well covered by the pink comforter, he began to crawl slowly toward the bedroom door.

Turning away from Aggie with an impatient exclamation, Zoie suddenly beheld what seemed to her a large pink monster with protruding claws wriggling its way hurriedly toward the inner room.

”Look!” she screamed, and pointing in horror toward the dreadful creature now dragging itself across the threshold, she sank fainting into Aggie's outstretched arms.

CHAPTER x.x.x

Having dragged the limp form of her friend to the near-by couch, Aggie was bending over her to apply the necessary restoratives, when Alfred returned in triumph. He was followed by the officer in whose arms were three infants, and behind whom was the irate O'Flarety, the hysterical Italian woman, and last of all, Maggie.

”Bring them all in here, officer,” called Alfred over his shoulder.

”I'll soon prove to you whose babies those are.” Then turning to Aggie, who stood between him and the fainting Zoie he cried triumphantly, ”I've got them Aggie, I've got them.” He glanced toward the empty bed.

”Where's Zoie?” he asked.