"What do you think Alfred would do to
YOU, Mr. Jimmy, if he knew the truth? YOU'RE the one who sent
him the telegram; you are the one who told him that he was a
FATHER."
"That's true," admitted Aggie, with a wrinkled forehead.
Zoie was quick to see her advantage. She followed it up. "And
Alfred hasn't any sense of humour, you know."
"How could he have?" groaned Jimmy; "he's married." And with
that he sank into his habitual state of dumps.
"Your sarcasm will do a great deal of good," flashed Zoie. Then
she dismissed him with a nod, and crossed to her dressing table.
"But Zoie," persisted Aggie, as she followed her young friend in
trepidation, "don't you realise that if you persist in keeping
this baby, that mother will dog Jimmy's footsteps for the rest of
his life?"
"That will be nice," murmured Jimmy.
Zoie busied herself with her toilet, and turned a deaf ear to
Aggie. There was a touch of genuine emotion in Aggie's voice
when she continued.
"Just think of it, Zoie, Jimmy will never be able to come and go
like a free man again."
"What do I care how he comes and goes?" exclaimed Zoie
impatiently. "If Jimmy had gone when we told him to go, that
woman would have had her old baby by now; but he didn't, oh no!
All he ever does is to sit around and talk about his dinner."
"Yes," cried Jimmy hotly, "and that's about as far as I ever GET
with it.
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