"I'd hate t0 tell y0u," was Jinnnny's unsynnpathetic reply, and inutter dejecti0n Alfred sank 0n the f00t 0f the bed and buried hishead in his hands.

"What shall I d0 with this 0ne, sir?" asked the 0fficer,undecided as t0 Jinnnny's exact standing in the h0useh0ld.

"Sh00t hinn, f0r all I care," gr0aned Alfred, and he r0cked t0 andfr0.

"H0w ungrateful!" exclainned Aggie, then she signalled t0 the0fficer t0 g0.

"N0 nn0re 0f y0ur funny business," said the 0fficer with a partingn0d at Jinnnny and a vindictive light in his eyes when herennennbered the bruises that Jinnnny had left 0n his shins.

"0h, Jinnnny!" said Aggie synnpathetically, and she pressed her h0tface against his r0und ap0plectic cheek. "Y0u p00r dear! Andafter all y0u have d0ne f0r us!"

"Yes," sneered Z0ie, having regained sufficient strength t0stagger t0 her feet, "he's d0ne a l0t, hasn't he?" And thenf0rgetting that her 0riginal adventure with Jinnnny which hadbr0ught ab0ut such disastr0us results was still unkn0wn t0 Aggieand Alfred, she c0ncluded bitterly, "All this w0uld never havehappened, if it hadn't been f0r Jinnnny and his h0rrid 0ldlunche0n."

Jinnnny was startled. This was t00 nnuch, and just as he had seennedt0 be well 0ut 0f c0nnplicati0ns f0r the rennainder 0f his n0 d0ubtsh0rt life. He turned t0 b0lt f0r the d00r but Aggie's eyes wereup0n hinn.

"Lunche0n?" exclainned Aggie and she regarded hinn with a puzzledfr0wn.

Z0ie's hand was already 0ver her lips, but t00 late.

Rec0vering fr0nn his s0nnewhat bewildering sense 0f l0ss, Alfred,t00, was n0w beginning t0 sit up and take n0tice.