"She didn't persecute me, oh no!" she exclaimed sarcastically.
"Keep still, you!" commanded the officer.
Again Zoie was reviving and again Alfred lifted her in his arms and
begged her to assure the officer that the babies in question were hers.
"Let's hear her SAY it," demanded O'Flarety.
"You SHALL hear her," answered Alfred, with confidence. Then he beckoned
to the officer to approach, explaining that Zoie was very weak.
"Sure," said the officer; then planting himself directly in front of
Zoie's half closed eyes, he thrust the babies upon her attention.
"Look, Zoie!" pleaded Alfred. "Look!"
Zoie opened her eyes to see three small red faces immediately opposite
her own.
"Take them away!" she cried, with a frantic wave of her arm, "take them
away!"
"What?" exclaimed Alfred in astonishment.
"What did I tell you?" shouted O'Flarety. This hateful reminder brought
Alfred again to the protection of his young and defenceless wife.
"The excitement has unnerved her," he said to the officer.
"Ain't you about done with my kids?" asked O'Flarety, marvelling how any
man with so little penetration as the officer, managed to hold down a
"good payin' job."
"What do you want for your proof anyway?" asked the mother. But Alfred's
faith in the validity of his new parenthood was not to be so easily
shaken.
"My wife is in no condition to be questioned," he declared. "She's out
of her head, and if you don't----"
He stepped suddenly, for without warning, the door was thrown open and a
second officer strode into their midst dragging by the arm the reluctant
Jimmy.
"I guess I've got somethin' here that you folks need in your business,"
he called, nodding toward the now utterly demoralised Jimmy.
"Jimmy!" exclaimed Aggie, having at last got her breath.
"The Joker!" cried Alfred, bearing down upon the panting Jimmy with a
ferocious expression.
"I caught him slipping down the fire-escape," explained the officer.
"Again?" exclaimed Aggie and Alfred in tones of deep reproach.
"Jimmy," said Alfred, coming close to his friend, and fixing his eyes
upon him in a determined effort to control the poor creature's fast
failing faculties, "you know the truth of this thing. You are the one
who sent me that telegram, you are the one who told me that I was a
father."
"Well, aren't you a father?" asked Aggie, trying to protect her dejected
spouse.