gnisance of his strange
exploit, Jimmy began picking his way along dark lanes and avoiding the
lighted thoroughfare on which the "Sherwood" was situated, until he was
within a block of his destination.

Panting with haste and excitement, he eventually gained courage to
dash through a side street that brought him within a few doors of the
"Sherwood." Again glancing behind him, he turned the well lighted corner
and arrived beneath Zoie's window to find one shade up and one down. In
his perplexity he emitted a faint whistle. Immediately he saw the other
shade lowered. Uncertain as to what arrangement he had actually made
with Zoie, he ventured a second whistle. The result was a hysterical
running up and down of the shade which left him utterly bewildered as to
what disposition he was supposed to make of the wobbly bit of humanity
pressed against his shirt front.

Reaching over his artificially curved figure to grasp a bit of white
that trailed below his coat, he looked up to see a passing policeman
eyeing him suspiciously.

"Taking the air?" asked the policeman.

"Ye-yes," mumbled Jimmy with affected nonchalence and he knocked the
heels of his boots together in order to keep his teeth from chattering.
"It's a fi-fine ni-night for air," he stuttered.

"Is it?" said the policeman, and to Jimmy's horror, he saw the fellow's
eyes fix themselves on the bit of white.

"Go-good-night," stammered Jimmy hurriedly, and trying to assume an
easy stride in spite of the uncomfortable addition to his already rotund
figure, he slipped into the hotel, where avoiding the lighted elevator,
he laboured quickly, up the stairs.

At the very moment when Zoie was driving Alfred in consternation from
the room, Jimmy entered it uninvited.

"Get out," was the inhospitable greeting received simultaneously from
Zoie and Aggie, and without waiting for further instructions he "got."

Fortunately for all concerned, Alfred, who was at the same moment
departing by way of the bedroom door, did not look behind him; but it
was some minutes before Aggie who had followed Jimmy into the hall could
persuade him to return.

After repeated and insistent signals both from Aggie and Zoie, Jimmy's
round red face appeared cautiously around the frame of the door. It bore
unmistakable indications of apoplexy. But the eyes of the women were not
upon Jimmy's face, they too had caught sight of the bit of white that
hung below his coat, and dragging him quickly i