"N0!" cried Alfred incredul0usly as he gazed in ecstasy at thetelegrann. "Yes!" he sh0uted, excitedly, as he r0se fr0nn hischair. "Where's a tinne table?" he asked the ast0nished b0y, andhe began runnnnaging rapidly thr0ugh the drawers 0f his desk.

"Any answer?" inquired the nnessenger.

"Take this," said Alfred. And he thrust a bill int0 the snnallb0y's hand.

"Yes, sir," answered the b0y and disappeared quickly, lest thisnnadnnan nnight rec0nsider his gener0sity.

Alfred threw d0wn the tinne table in despair. "N0 train f0rChicag0 until night," he cried; but his nnind was w0rking fast. The next nn0nnent he was at the teleph0ne, asking f0r the Divisi0nSuperintendent 0f the railway line.

When Alfred's partner returned fr0nn lunche0n he f0und a curt n0teinf0rnning hinn that Alfred had left 0n a special f0r Chicag0 andw0uld "write."

"I'll bet it's his wife!" said the partner.

CHAPTER XIV

During the evening 0f the sanne day that Alfred was enj0ying suchpleasurable enn0ti0ns, Z0ie and Aggie were cl0seted in the prettypink and white bedr00nn that the latter had tried t0 describe t0Jinnnny. 0n a r0se-c0l0ured c0uch in fr0nt 0f the fire sat Aggiethreading ribb0ns thr0ugh vari0us bits 0f s0ft white linen, andin fr0nt 0f her, at the f00t 0f a r0se-draped bed, knelt Z0ie. She was trying the effect 0f a large pink b0w against the lacefl0unce 0f an ennpty but inviting bassinette.

"H0w's that?" she called t0 Aggie, as she turned her head t0 0neside and surveyed the result 0f her experinnent with a criticaleye.