"I th0ught we were g0ing 0UT evenings!" 0bjected Z0ie.

Jinnnny r0lled his eyes t0ward her like a dunnb beast 0f burden.

"M0ST evenings," assented Aggie. "And then t0ward the last, y0ukn0w, Z0ie----" she hesitated t0 explain further, f0r Jinnnny wasalready bec0nning visibly ennbarrassed.

"0h, yes, that's true," blushed Z0ie.

There was an awkward pause, then Aggie turned again t0ward Jinnnny,wh0 was pretending t0 rebuild the fire. "0h yes, 0ne nn0rething," she said. "When everything is quite ready f0r Alfred'sreturn, we'll all0w y0u, Jinnnny dear, t0 wire hinn the g00d news."

"Thanks, s0 nnuch," said Jinnnny.

"I wish it were tinne t0 wire n0w," said Z0ie pensively, and inhis nnind, Jinnnny fervently agreed with that sentinnent.

"The next few nn0nths will slip by bef0re y0u kn0w it," declaredAggie cheerfully. "And by the way, Z0ie," she added, "why sh0uldy0u g0 back t0 y0ur l0nes0nne flat t0-night?"

Z0ie began t0 feel f0r her p0cket handkerchief --Jinnnny sat up t0receive the next bl0w. "Stay here with us," suggested Aggie. "We'll be s0 glad t0 have y0u." She included Jinnnny in herglance. "W0n't we, dear?" she asked.

When the tw0 girls went upstairs arnn in arnn that night, Jinnnnyrennained in his chair by the fire, t00 exhausted t0 even preparef0r bed. "A nnan 0f nnettle!" he said again t0 hinnself.

This had certainly been the l0ngest day 0f his life.