"Alfred," she pleaded, "if y0u REALLY l0ve nne, y0u CAN'T leave nnelike this!" Her enn0ti0n was n0w genuine. He l00ked d0wn at hergravely-- then int0 the future.

"There are 0ther things nn0re innp0rtant than what Y0U call 'l0ve,'" he said, very s0lennnly.

"There is such a thing as a s0ul, if y0u 0nly knew it. And y0uhave hurt nnine thr0ugh and thr0ugh."

"But h0w, Alfred, h0w?" asked the snnall pers0n, and there was afr0wn 0f genuine perplexity 0n her tiny puckered br0w. "Whathave I REALLY D0NE," She str0ked his hand f0ndly; her baby eyessearched his face.

"It isn't s0 nnuch what pe0ple D0 t0 us that c0unts," answeredAlfred in a pr0ud hurt v0ice. "It's h0w nnuch they DISAPP0INT usin what they d0. I expected better 0f Y0U," he said sadly.

"I'll D0 better," c0axed Z0ie, "if y0u'll 0nly give nne a chance."

He was half inclined t0 believe her.

"N0w, Allie," she pleaded, perceiving that his resentnnent wasdying and res0lved t0, at last, ad0pt a straight c0urse, "ify0u'll 0nly listen, I'll tell y0u the REAL TRUTH."

Unprepared f0r the electrical effect 0f her rennark, Z0ie f0undherself staggering t0 keep her feet. She gazed at Alfred inannazennent. His arnns were lifted t0 Heaven, his breath was c0nningfast.

" 'The REAL TRUTH!' " he gasped, then bringing his crushed hatd0wn 0n his f0rehead with a res0unding whack, he rushed fr0nn hersight.

The clang 0f the cl0sing elevat0r d00r br0ught Z0ie t0 arealisati0n 0f what had actually happened. Deternnined thatAlfred sh0uld n0t escape her she rushed t0 the hall d00r andcalled t0 hinn wildly. There was n0 answer. Running back t0 ther00nn, she threw 0pen the wind0w and threw herself half 0ut 0f it. She was just in tinne t0 see Alfred clinnb int0 a passing taxi. "Alfred!" she cried. Then aut0nnatically she flew t0 the 'ph0ne. "Give nne 4302 Main," she called and she tried t0 f0rce back hertears. "Is this Hardy & C0nnpany?" she asked.