Baby Mine

ed in the matter of quick retort, Zoie, with her customary cunning, veered round t

s though he had at last

him quickly. Then she continued in a tone meant to draw from him his heart

nswered Al

he smile that was trying to creep round her lips, and sidled toward Alfred, with eyes proper

ith renewed indignat

d Zoie sweetly, as though she were d

ases me to know that you are carrying on the moment m

ying you!" In her excitement she tossed Alfred's now damaged hat into the chair just behind her. He was far too over

ame tragic key, "Oh no! Oh no! You've only cheated me out

im to enumerate the various treasures tha

ed to adore children. You started your humbugging th

ery nearly betrayed h

rom that day until the hour that I led you to the altar, you'd fondle the u

Zoie. This was re

emphasis. "The moment you GOT me, you declared that all children were hor

's interpretation of her sentiments, than by

e that all babies should be put in cages, shipped West, and kept in pens until they got to be of an interesting

ny such thing,"

isted Alfred. "I haven't your

ing DISAGREEABLE to say. As for babies," she continued tentatively, "I think th

ouse in the countr

e in the country, with people being murdered

"I'm glad that we have no children. If we had, I might feel some obligation to keep up this farce of a marriage. As it is," he continued, "YOU are f

ted Zoie with an abused air, "you mi

e cleverness with which the little minx

inued, "to abuse me just because you'v

nd you know it's not true." Little did he sus

n you do me?" she cried eagerly, and

ny such thing,"

DO," she a

declared in

sped her fingers tightly behind his neck, and ra

him, and sat her down with a thud in the very same chair in which she had lately dropped his hat. Having acted with this admirable resolution, he strode majestically toward the inner hall, but before he could reach it, Zoie was again on her feet, in a

just as he reached the threshold and thr

AN'T leave me like this!" Her emotion was now genuin

mportant than what YOU call 'l

if you only knew it. And you hav

of genuine perplexity on her tiny puckered brow. "What have I REALLY

Alfred in a proud hurt voice. "It's how much they DISAPPOINT

xed Zoie, "if you'll

inclined to

was dying and resolved to, at last, adopt a straight cou

erself staggering to keep her feet. She gazed at Alfred in amaze

his crushed hat down on his forehead with a

led to him wildly. There was no answer. Running back to the room, she threw open the window and threw herself half out of it. She was just in time to see Alfred climb into a passin

Mrs. Hardy,"

ed the receiver harder. "Not COMING back?" she gasped. "Gone!-to Detroit?" A short moan escaped her