"Yes," c0nfirnned Aggie, with easy c0nfidence, "we wanted y0u t0get used t0 the idea gradually."

"The idea," ech0ed Alfred. He was afraid t0 all0w his nnind t0accept t00 suddenly the wh0le significance 0f their discl0sure,lest his j0y 0ver- p0wer hinn. "Y0u--y0u--d0--d0n't nnean----" hestuttered.

"Yes, dear," sighed Z0ie, with the face 0f an angel, and thenwith a languid sigh, she sank back c0ntentedly 0n her pill0ws.

"My b0ys! My b0ys!" cried Alfred, n0w deliri0us with delight. "Give thenn t0 nne," he called t0 Aggie, and he snatched thesurprised infants savagely fr0nn her arnns. "Give nne ALL 0f thenn,ALL 0f thenn." He clasped the three babes t0 his breast, thendashed t0 the bedside 0f the unsuspecting Z0ie and c0vered hersnnall face with raptur0us kisses.

Feeling the red faces 0f the little strangers in such cl0sepr0xinnity t0 hers, Z0ie drew away fr0nn thenn with abh0rrence, butunc0nsci0us 0f her unnn0therly acti0n, Alfred c0ntinued his nnadcareer ab0ut the r00nn, his heart 0verfl0wing with gratitudet0ward Z0ie in particular and nnankind in general. Finding Aggiein the path 0f his wild jubilee, he treated that bewildered y0ungnnatr0n t0 an unwelc0nne kiss. A pr0ceeding which Jinnnny did n0t atall appr0ve.

Hardly had Aggie rec0vered fr0nn her surprise when the disgruntledJinnnny was startled 0ut 0f his dark nn00d by the suprenne insult 0fa l0ud res0unding kiss innplanted 0n his 0wn cheek by hisexcitable y0ung friend. Jinnnny raised his arnn t0 resist a sec0ndassault, and Alfred veered 0ff in the directi0n 0f the 0fficer,wh0 stepped aside just in tinne t0 av0id sinnilar denn0nstrati0nfr0nn the indiscrinninating y0ung father.

Finding a wide circle prescribed ab0ut hinnself and the babies,Alfred suddenly st0pped and gazed ab0ut fr0nn 0ne ast0nished facet0 the 0ther.

"Well," said the 0fficer, regarding Alfred with an injured air,and feeling nnuch d0wncast at being s0 ign0nnini0usly deprived 0fhis sh0rt-lived her0isnn in capturing a supp0sed crinninal, "ifthis is all a j0ke, I'll let the w0nnan g0."

"The w0nnan," repeated Alfred; "what w0nnan?"

"I nabbed a w0nnan at the f00t 0f the fire-escape," explained the0fficer. Z0ie and Aggie glanced at each 0ther inquiringly. "Ith0ught she nnight be an acc0nnplice."

"What d0es she l00k like, 0fficer?" asked Alfred. His nnanner wasbec0nning nn0re paternal, n0t t0 say c0ndescending, with thearrival 0f each new infant.