etaining hand on Jimmy's arm.

"What's the hurry?" asked Alfred a bit disgruntled.

"It's very late," argued Aggie.

"Of course it is," insisted Zoie. "Please, Alfred," she pleaded, "do let
Aggie take them."

Alfred rose reluctantly. "Mother knows best," he sighed, but ignoring
Aggie's outstretched arms, he refused to relinquish the joy of himself
carrying the small mites to their room, and he disappeared with the two
of them, singing his now favourite lullaby.

When Alfred had left the room, Jimmy, who was now seated comfortably in
the rocker, was rudely startled by a sharp voice at either side of him.

"Well!" shrieked Zoie, with all the disapproval that could be got into
the one small word.

"You're very clever, aren't you?" sneered Aggie at Jimmy's other elbow.

Jimmy stared from one to the other.

"A nice fix you've got me into NOW," reproved Zoie.

"Why didn't you get out when you had the chance?" demanded Aggie.

"You would take your own sweet time, wouldn't you," said Zoie.

"What did I tell you?" asked Aggie.

"What does he care?" exclaimed Zoie, and she walked up and down the room
excitedly, oblivious of the disarrangement of her flying negligee. "He's
perfectly comfortable."

"Oh yes," assented Jimmy, as he sank back into the rocker and
began propelling himself to and fro. "I never felt better," but a
disinterested observer would have seen in him the picture of discomfort.

"You're going to feel a great deal WORSE," he was warned by Aggie. "Do
you know who that was on the telephone?" she asked.

Jimmy looked at her mutely.

"The mother!" said Aggie emphatically

"What!" exclaimed Jimmy.

"She's down stairs," explained Aggie.

Jimmy had stopped rocking--his face now wore an uneasy expression.

"It's time you showed a little human intelligence," taunted Zoie, then
she turned her back upon him and continued to Aggie, "what did she say?"

"She says," answered Aggie, with a threatening glance toward Jimmy,
"that she won't leave this place until Jimmy gives her baby back."

"Let her have her old baby," said Jimmy. "I don't want it."

"You don't want it?" snapped Zoie indignantly, "what have YOU got to do
with it?"

"Oh nothing, nothing," acquiesced Jimmy meekly, "I'm a mere detail."

"A lot you care what becomes of me," exclaimed Zoie reproachfully; then
she turned to Aggie with a decided nod. "Well, I want it," she asserted.

"But Zoie," protested Aggie in astonishment, "you can't m