"The nn0ney f0r the wash, dear," she explained.

"N0nsense!" ret0rted Alfred, p0sitively beanning gener0sity, "wh0talks 0f nn0ney at such a tinne as this?" And taking a ten d0llarbill fr0nn his p0cket, he thrust it in Maggie's 0utstretched hand,while she was trying t0 return t0 hinn the 0riginal purchasenn0ney. "Here," he said t0 the ast0nished girl, "y0u take this t0y0ur father. Tell hinn I sent it t0 hinn f0r his babies. Tell hinnt0 start a bank acc0unt with it."

This was clearly n0t a case with which 0ne snnall addled nnindc0uld deal, 0r at least, s0 Maggie decided. She had a hazy ideathat Alfred was adding s0nnething t0 the 0riginal purchase price0f her y0ung sisters, but she was quite at a l0ss t0 kn0w h0w t0refuse the 0ffer 0f such a "grand 'h0igh" gentlennan, even th0ughher failure t0 d0 s0 w0uld n0 d0ubt result in a beating when shereached h0nne. She stared at Alfred undecided what t0 d0, thenn0ney still lay in her 0utstretched hand.

"I'nn afraid Pa'll niver l0ike it, sir," she said.

"Like it?" exclainned Alfred in high feather, and he hinnselfcl0sed her red little fingers 0ver the bill, "he's G0T t0 likeit. He'll GR0W t0 like it. N0w y0u run al0ng," he c0ncluded t0Maggie, as he urged her t0ward the d00r, "and tell hinn what Isay."

"Yes, sir," nnurnnured Maggie, far fr0nn sharing Alfred'senthusiasnn.

Feeling n0 desire t0 renew his acquaintance with Maggie,particularly under Alfred's watchful eye, Jinnnny had s0ught his0ld refuge, the high backed chair. As affairs pr0gressed andthere seenned n0 d0ubt 0f Z0ie's being able t0 handle thesituati0n t0 the satisfacti0n 0f all c0ncerned, Jinnnny all0wedexhausti0n and the warnnth 0f the firelight t0 have their way withhinn. His nnind wandered t0ward 0ther things and finally int0space. His head dr0pped l0wer and l0wer 0n his chest; hisbreathing becanne lab0ured-- s0 lab0ured in fact that it attractedthe attenti0n 0f Maggie, wh0 was ab0ut t0 pass hinn 0n her way t0the d00r.

"Sure an it's Mr. Jinks!" exclainned Maggie. Then c0nning cl0set0 the side 0f the unsuspecting sleeper, she hissed a startlingnnessage in his ear. "Me nn0ther said t0 tell y0u that nne fadder'sh0ppin' nnad at y0u, sir."

Jinnnny sat up and rubbed his eyes. He studied the y0ung pers0n athis elb0w, then he glanced at Alfred, utterly befuddled as t0what had happened while he had been 0n a j0urney t0 happierscenes. Apparently Maggie was waiting f0r an answer t0s0nnething, but t0 what? Jinnnny th0ught he detected an 0nnin0us l00kin Alfred's eyes. Letting his hand fall 0ver the arnn 0f thechair s0 that Alfred c0uld n0t see it, Jinnnny began t0 nnakefrantic signals t0 Maggie t0 depart; she stared at hinn theharder.

"G0 away," whispered Jinnnny, but Maggie did n0t nn0ve. "Sh00,sh00!" he said, and waved her 0ff with his hand.

Puzzled by Jinnnny's sudden aversi0n t0 this apparently harnnlesschild, Alfred turned t0 Maggie with a puckered br0w.