Baby Mine

Of course Jimmy didn't tell the whole truth. Oh, no-far from it. In fact, he appeared to be aggravatingly ignorant as to the exact ca

as fairly out of the front gate, she had seized her h

Aggie opened her arms sympathetically to receive the

ed to and fro. "What is it?" She pressed the s

" sobbed Zoie

ggie tenderly. "Isn't it

Aggie with sudden uneasiness. Her friend's answer raised Jimmy considerably

"that you and Alfred had had another ti

er eyes were wide with terror

e no

s resolve. "But he shan't," she declared emphatically. "I won't let him. I'll go a

ked Aggie, feeling sure that

red Zoie with wi

fidence in her friend's ability to judge

Zoie. And there was no doubting

," questioned Agg

"Isn't that a nice excuse," she continued, "for leaving your lawful wedded wife?" It was apparent tha

hurt him?"

id Zoie with the

She was beginning to scent the prob

t have wiped my feet on the man." By this time she had entirel

d in her mind, she had already condemn

oie impatiently. "It's ANY man w

despair. "Why DO you do these things," she said we

ince I've been married that I've ever eaten lunch with any man but Alfred. I thought you'd have a lit

stioned Aggie, with

d then with a sudden abandonment of grief, she threw herself pros

ry account of her latest escapade. "Is that the o

d then she continued in a much aggrieved tone, "You know he's ALW

him a baby?" asked the pr

ate NOW," m

gie. "It's the very thing

ed Zoie, and she looked up at A

answered Agg

o," she said with a sigh and a shake of her head, "that wouldn't do

now," declare

u mean?" wh

ing the wondering young person at her knee with smiling condes

ng," she told Zoie, "saying that three thousand husban

tter to study Aggie's face. It was apparent to

," explained Aggie, "while they

t began to glitt

her small hands together exci

r friend's admiration of her own scheme. "This same paper tells of a woman who adopte

cried Zoie, now thoroug

them at the Children's Home,

, "but I'd do ANYTHING to get Alfred b

with positive pity. "You don't

er large eyes

continued Aggie, "Alfred would kn

ing began to show on

en he left this mo

ue," acqui

ounselled Aggie, "and the

never been ta

ie--" sh

ued without

fred's temper has had time to cool, we'll get

ie had suggested an eternity. "I've never bee

se," she said coldly, as she rose to go,

nd she clung to her friend a

e submission. "THIS is the only way. The President of the Ch

er first practical suggestion. "Then

poor soul a rare privilege. "Jimmy gives a hundred dollars to the Home every Chr

urprise. "If Alfred were to give a hundred do

of her firm faith in Jimmy's innocence, she was u

g disagreeable thoughts from her mind, Ag

s," she said, "we'll begin o

t?" quer

es," expla

d her hands merrily like a very small child. A

e Alfred shouldn't come back after I've g

ered Aggie, with a confident air.

she cried impulsively, "you are a darling. You have just saved my life." And she clasped

d raised vanity: "You can write him an insinuating letter

end thoughtfully. "Do you know, Aggie," she said, with fra

she corrected. "I've never lied to Jimmy in all my life." She drew

and she pretended to be search

ee her. She was gla

e said. And she sta

ested Zoie, unwilli

in at tea time,"

ie, "but when NIGHT comes I just M

Aggie, both sho

d Zoie; "the moment it gets

r a MOTHER to tal

wful appellation would undoubtedly pursue her for the rest of her life. "Oh

before Zoie could again detai

ran quickly to the writing table, curled her small self up on one foot, placed a brand new pen in the holder, then drew a sheet of paper toward her and, with shoulders hunched high an