It is doubtful whether Zoie's continued laughter might not have provoked Jimmy to desperate measures, had not the 'phone at that moment directed their thoughts toward worse possibilities. After the instrument had continued to ring persistently for what seemed to Zoie an age, she motioned to Jimmy to answer it. He responded by retreating to the other side of the room. “It may be Aggie,” suggested Zoie. For the first time, Jimmy became aware that Aggie was nowhere in the apartment. “Good Lord!” he exclaimed, as he realised that he was again tete-a-tete with the terror of his dreams. “Where IS Aggie?” “Gone to do what YOU should have done,” was Zoie's characteristic answer. “Well,” answered Jimmy hotly, “it's about time that somebody besides me did something around this place.” “YOU,” mocked Zoie, “all YOU'VE ever done was to hoodoo me from the very beginning.” “If you'd taken my advice,” answered Jimmy, “and told your husband the truth about the luncheon, there'd never have been any 'beginning.'” “If, if, if,” cried Zoie, in an agony of impatience, “if you'd tipped that horrid old waiter enough, he'd never have told anyway.” “I'm not buying waiters to cover up your crimes,” announced Jimmy with his most self-righteous air. “You'll be buying more than that to cover up your OWN crimes before you've finished,” retorted Zoie. “Before I've finished with YOU, yes,” agreed Jimmy. He wheeled upon her with increasing resentment. “Do you know where I expect to end up?” he asked. “I know where you OUGHT to end up,” snapped Zoie. “I'll finish in the electric chair,” said Jimmy. “I can feel blue lightning chasing up and down my spine right now.” “Well, I wish you HAD finished in the electric chair,” declared Zoie, “before you ever dragged me into that awful old restaurant.” “Oh, you do, do you?” answered Jimmy shaking his fist at her across the foot of the bed. For the want of adequate words to express his further feelings, Jimmy was beginning to jibber, when the outer door was heard to close, and he turned to behold Aggie entering hurriedly with something partly concealed by her long cape. “It's all right,” explained Aggie triumphantly to Zoie. “I've got it.” She threw her cape aside and disclosed the fruits of her conquest. “So,” snorted Jimmy in disgust, slightly miffed by the apparent ease with which Aggie had accomplished a task about which he had made so much ado, “you've gone into the business too, have you?” Aggie deigned no reply to him. She continued in a businesslike tone to Zoie. “Where's Alfred?” she asked. “Still out,” answered Zoie. “Thank Heaven,” sighed Aggie, then she turned to Jimmy and addressed him in rapid, decided tones. “Now, dear,” she said, “I'll just put the new baby to bed, then I'll give you the other one and you can take it right down to the mother.” Jimmy made a vain start in the direction of the fire-escape. Four detaining hands were laid upon him.