CHAPTER XIV
During the evening of the same day that Alfred was enjoying suchpleasurable emotions, Zoie and Aggie were closeted in the pretty pinkand white bedroom that the latter had tried to describe to Jimmy. Ona rose-coloured couch in front of the fire sat Aggie threading ribbonsthrough various bits of soft white linen, and in front of her, at thefoot of a rose-draped bed, knelt Zoie. She was trying the effect ofa large pink bow against the lace flounce of an empty but invitingbassinette.
"How's that?" she called to Aggie, as she turned her head to one sideand surveyed the result of her experiment with a critical eye.
Aggie shot a grudging glance at the bassinette. "I wish you wouldn'tbother me every moment," she said. "I'll never get all these thingsfinished."
Apparently Zoie decided that the bow was properly placed, for sheapplied herself to sewing it fast to the lining. In her excitement shegave the thread a vicious pull. "Oh, dear, oh dear, my thread is alwaysbreaking!" she sighed in vexation.
"You're excited," said Aggie.
"Wouldn't YOU be excited," questioned Zoie'"if you were expecting a babyand a husband in the morning?"
"I suppose I should," admitted Aggie.
For a time the two friends sewed in silence, then Zoie looked up withsudden anxiety.
"You're SURE Jimmy sent the wire?" she asked.
"I saw him write it," answered Aggie, "while I was in the officeto-day."
"When will Alfred get it?" demanded Zoie eagerly.
"Oh, he won't GET it until to-morrow morning," said Aggie. "I told youthat to-day. It's a night message."
"I wonder what he'll be doing when he gets it?" mused Zoie. There was asuspicion of a smile around her lips.
"What will he do AFTER he gets it?" questioned Aggie.
Looking up at her friend in alarm, Zoie suddenly ceased sewing. "Youdon't mean he won't come?" she gasped.
"Of course I don't," answered Aggie. "He's only HUMAN if he is ahusband."
There was a sceptical expression around Zoie's mouth, but she did notpursue the subject. "How do you suppose that red baby will ever look inthis pink basket?" she asked. And then with a regretful little sigh, shedeclared that she wished she'd "used blue."
"I didn't think the baby that we chose was so horribly red," said Aggie.
"Red!" cried Zoie, "it's magenta." And again her thread broke. "Oh,darn!" she exclaimed in annoyance, and once more rethreaded her needle."I couldn't look at it," she continued with a disgusted little pucker ofher face. "I wish they had let us take it this afternoon so I could havegot used to it before Alfred gets here."
"Now don't be silly," scolded Aggie. "You know very well that theSuperintendent can't let it leave the home until its mother signs thepapers. It will be here the first thing in the morning. You'll have allday to get used to it before Alfred gets here."
"ALL DAY," echoed Zoie, and the corners of her mouth began to droop."Won't Alfred be here before TO-MORROW NIGHT?"
Aggie was becoming exasperated by Zoie's endless questions. "I toldyou," she explained wearily, "that the wire won't be delivered untilto-morrow morning, it will take Alfred eight hours to get here, andthere may not be a train just that minute."
"Eight long hours," sighed Zoie dismally. And Aggie looked at herreproachfully, forgetting that it is always the last hour thatis hardest to bear. Zoie resumed her sewing resignedly. Aggie wasmeditating whether she should read her young friend a lecture on thevalue of patience, when the telephone began to ring violently.
Zoie looked up from her sewing with a frown. "You answer it, will you,Aggie?" she said. "I can't let go this thread."
"Hello," called Aggie sweetly over the 'phone; then she added insurprise, "Is this you, Jimmy dear?" Apparently it was; and as Zoiewatched Aggie's face, with its increasing distress she surmised thatJimmy's message was anything but "dear."
"Good heavens!" cried Aggie over the telephone, "that's awful!"
"Isn't Alfred coming?" was the first question that burst from Zoie'slips.
Aggie motioned to Zoie to be quiet. "TO-NIGHT!" she exclaimed.
"To-night!" echoed Zoie joyfully; and without waiting for more detailsand with no thought beyond the moment, she flew to her dressing tableand began arranging her hair, powdering her face, perfuming her lips,and making herself particularly alluring for the prodigal husband'sreturn.
Now the far-sighted Aggie was experiencing less pleasant sensations atthe phone. "A special?" she was saying to Jimmy. "When did Alfred GETthe message?" There was a slight pause. Then she asked irritably, "Well,didn't you mark it 'NIGHT message'?" From the expression on Aggie's faceit was evident that he had not done so. "But, Jimmy," protested Aggie,"this is dreadful! We haven't any baby!" Then calling to him to wait aminute, and leaving the receiver dangling, she crossed the room toZoie, who was now thoroughly engrossed in the making of a fresh toilet."Zoie!" she exclaimed excitedly, "Jimmy made a mistake."
"Of course he'd do THAT," answered Zoie carelessly.
"But you don't understand," persisted Aggie. "They sent the 'NIGHTmessage' TO-DAY. Alfred's coming on a special. He'll be here tonight."
"Thank goodness for that!" cried Zoie, and the next instant she waswaltzing gaily about the room.
"That's all very well," answered Aggie, as she followed Zoie withanxious eyes, "but WHERE'S YOUR BABY?"
"Good heavens!" cried Zoie, and for the first time she became consciousof their predicament. She gazed at Aggie in consternation. "I forgot allabout it," she said, and then asked with growing anxiety, "What can weDO?"
"Do?" echoed Aggie, scarcely knowing herself what answer to make, "we'vegot to GET it--TO-NIGHT. That's all!"
"But," protested Zoie, "how CAN we get it when the mother hasn't signedthe papers yet?"
"Jimmy will have to arrange that with the Superintendent of the Home,"answered Aggie with decision, and she turned toward the 'phone toinstruct Jimmy accordingly.
"Yes, that's right," assented Zoie, glad to be rid of all furtherresponsibility, "we'll let Jimmy fix it."
"Say, Jimmy," called Aggie excitedly, "you'll have to go straight to theChildren's Home and get that baby just as quickly as you can. There'ssome red tape about the mother signing papers, but don't mind aboutthat. Make them give it to you to-night. Hurry, Jimmy. Don't waste aminute."
There was evidently a protest from the other end of the wire, for Aggieadded impatiently, "Go on, Jimmy, do! You can EAT any time." And withthat she hung up the receiver.
"Its clothes," called Zoie frantically. "Tell him about the clothes. Isent them this evening."
"Never mind about the clothes," answered Aggie. "We're lucky if we getthe baby."
"But I have to mind," persisted Zoie. "I gave all its other things tothe laundress. I wanted them to be nice and fresh. And now the horridold creature hasn't brought them back yet."
"You get into your OWN things," commanded Aggie.
"Where's my dressing gown?" asked Zoie, her elation revived by thethought of her fine raiment, and with that she flew to the foot of thebed and snatched up two of the prettiest negligees ever imported fromParis. "Which do you like better?" she asked, as she held them bothaloft, "the pink or the blue?"
"It doesn't matter," answered Aggie wearily. "Get into SOMETHING, that'sall."
"Then unhook me," commanded Zoie gaily, as she turned her back to Aggie,and continued to admire the two "creations" on her arm. So pleased wasshe with the picture of herself in either of the garments that she beganhumming a gay waltz and swaying to the rhythm.
"Stand still," commanded Aggie, but her warning was unnecessary, for atthat moment Zoie was transfixed by a horrible fear.
"Suppose," she said in alarm, "that Jimmy can't GET the baby?"
"He's GOT to get it," answered Aggie emphatically, and she undid thelast stubborn hook of Zoie's gown and put the girl from her. "There,now, you're all unfastened," she said, "hurry and get dressed."
"You mean undressed," laughed Zoie, as she let her pretty evening gownfall lightly fr
om her shoulders and drew on her pink negligee. "Oh,Aggie!" she exclaimed, as she caught sight of her reflection in themirror, "isn't it a love? And you know," she added. "Alfred just adorespink."
"Silly!" answered Aggie, but in spite of herself, she was quite thrilledby the picture of the exquisite young creature before her. Zoie hadcertainly never looked more irresistible. "Can't you get some of thatcolour out of your cheeks," asked Aggie in despair. "You look like awasherwoman."
"I'll put on some cold cream and powder," answered Zoie. She flew to herdressing table; and in a moment there was a white cloud in her immediatevicinity. She turned to Aggie to inquire the result. Again the 'phonerang. "Who's that?" she exclaimed in alarm.
"I'll see," answered Aggie.
"It couldn't be Alfred, could it?" asked Zoie with mingled hope anddread.
"Of course not," answered Aggie, as she removed the receiver from thehook. "Alfred wouldn't 'phone, he would come right up."
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