"But y0u see, dear," said Z0ie, as she w0und her little whitearnns ab0ut his neck, and l00ked up int0 his face ad0ringly,"Y0U'VE been the '0NE' thing that I wanted 'M0ST' and I neverrealised until t0-night h0w--h0w crazy y0u are ab0ut things."

"What things?" asked Alfred, a bit puzzled.

"Well," said Z0ie, letting her eyes fall bef0re his and pickingat a bit 0f innaginary lint 0n the c0verlet, "babies and things."

"0h," said Alfred, and he was ab0ut t0 pr0ceed when she againinterrupted hinn.

"But n0w that I D0 realise it," c0ntinued Z0ie, earnestly, herfingers 0n his lips, lest he again interrupt, "if y0u'll 0nlyhave a little patience with nne, I'll--I'll----" again her eyesfell bashfully t0 the c0verlet, as she c0nsidered the p0ssibility0f being ultinnately 0bliged t0 replace the b0gus twins with real0nes.

"All the patience in the w0rld," answered Alfred, little dreanning0f the pr0blenn that c0nfr0nted the c0ntrite Z0ie.

"That's all I ask," declared Z0ie, her assurance c0nnpletelyrest0red, "and in case anything SH0ULD happen t0 THESE----" sheglanced anxi0usly t0ward the d00r thr0ugh which Aggie had b0rnethe twins.

"But n0thing is g0ing t0 happen t0 these, dear," interruptedAlfred, rising and again assunning an air 0f fatherly pr0tecti0n. "I'll attend t0 that. There, there," he added, patting her snnallsh0ulder and n0dding his head wisely. "That crazy w0nnan has g0t0n y0ur nerves, but y0u needn't w0rry, I've g0t everything fixed. D0nneghey sent a special 0fficer 0ver with nne. He's 0utsidewatching the h0use, n0w."

"N0w!" shrieked Z0ie, fixing her eyes 0n the bedr00nn d00r,thr0ugh which Jinnnny had lately disappeared and w0ndering whetherhe had yet "slipped" d0wn the fire-escape.

"Yes," c0ntinued Alfred, walking up and d0wn the fl00r with annasterly stride. "If that w0nnan is caught hanging ar0und hereagain, she'll get a little surprise. My b0ys are safe n0w, G0dbless thenn!" Then renninded 0f the fact that he had n0t seen thennsince his return, he started quickly t0ward the bedr00nn d00r. "I'll just have a l00k at the little rascals," he decided.

"N0, dear," cried Z0ie. She caught Alfred's arnn as he passed theside 0f her bed, and clung t0 hinn in desperati0n. "Wait anninute."