"No!" cried Alfred incredulously as he gazed in ecstasy at the
telegram. "Yes!" he shouted, excitedly, as he rose from his
chair. "Where's a time table?" he asked the astonished boy, and
he began rummaging rapidly through the drawers of his desk.
"Any answer?" inquired the messenger.
"Take this," said Alfred. And he thrust a bill into the small
boy's hand.
"Yes, sir," answered the boy and disappeared quickly, lest this
madman might reconsider his generosity.
Alfred threw down the time table in despair. "No train for
Chicago until night," he cried; but his mind was working fast.
The next moment he was at the telephone, asking for the Division
Superintendent of the railway line.
When Alfred's partner returned from luncheon he found a curt note
informing him that Alfred had left on a special for Chicago and
would "write."
"I'll bet it's his wife!" said the partner.
CHAPTER XIV
During the evening of the same day that Alfred was enjoying such
pleasurable emotions, Zoie and Aggie were closeted in the pretty
pink and white bedroom that the latter had tried to describe to
Jimmy. On a rose-coloured couch in front of the fire sat Aggie
threading ribbons through various bits of soft white linen, and
in front of her, at the foot of a rose-draped bed, knelt Zoie.
She was trying the effect of a large pink bow against the lace
flounce of an empty but inviting bassinette.
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