Part 38 (1/2)
”Take them away!” she cried, with a frantic wave of her arm, ”take them away!”
”What?” exclaimed Alfred in astonishment.
”What did I tell you?” shouted O'Flarety. This hateful reminder brought Alfred again to the protection of his young and defenceless wife.
”The excitement has unnerved her,” he said to the officer.
”Ain't you about done with my kids?” asked O'Flarety, marvelling how any man with so little penetration as the officer, managed to hold down a ”good payin' job.”
”What do you want for your proof anyway?” asked the mother. But Alfred's faith in the validity of his new parenthood was not to be so easily shaken.
”My wife is in no condition to be questioned,” he declared. ”She's out of her head, and if you don't----”
He stepped suddenly, for without warning, the door was thrown open and a second officer strode into their midst dragging by the arm the reluctant Jimmy.
”I guess I've got somethin' here that you folks need in your business,”
he called, nodding toward the now utterly demoralised Jimmy.
”Jimmy!” exclaimed Aggie, having at last got her breath.
”The Joker!” cried Alfred, bearing down upon the panting Jimmy with a ferocious expression.
”I caught him slipping down the fire-escape,” explained the officer.
”Again?” exclaimed Aggie and Alfred in tones of deep reproach.
”Jimmy,” said Alfred, coming close to his friend, and fixing his eyes upon him in a determined effort to control the poor creature's fast failing faculties, ”you know the truth of this thing. You are the one who sent me that telegram, you are the one who told me that I was a father.”
”Well, aren't you a father?” asked Aggie, trying to protect her dejected spouse.
”Of course I am,” replied Alfred, with every confidence, ”but I have to prove it to the officer. Jimmy knows,” he concluded. Then turning to the uncomfortable man at his side, he demanded imperatively, ”Tell the officer the truth, you idiot. No more of your jokes. Am I a father or am I not?”
”If you're depending on ME for your future offspring,” answered Jimmy, wagging his head with the air of a man reckless of consequences, ”you are NOT a father.”
”Depending on YOU?” gasped Alfred, and he stared at his friend in bewilderment. ”What do you mean by that?”
”Ask them,” answered Jimmy, and he nodded toward Zoie and Aggie.
Alfred appealed to Aggie.
”Ask Zoie,” said Aggie.
Alfred bent over the form of the again prostrate Zoie. ”My darling,”
he entreated, ”rouse yourself.” Slowly she opened her eyes. ”Now,” said Alfred, with enforced self-control, ”you must look the officer squarely in the eye and tell him whose babies those are,” and he nodded toward the officer, who was now beginning to entertain grave doubts on the subject.
”How should _I_ know?” cried Zoie, too exhausted for further lying.
”What!” exclaimed Alfred, his hand on his forehead.