Wondering what new terrors awaited her, Zoie glanced uncertainly from

door to door. So strong had become her habit of taking refuge in the

bed, that unconsciously she backed toward it now. Barely had she reached

the centre of the room when a terrific crash of breaking glass from the

adjoining room sent her shrieking in terror over the footboard, and head

first under the covers. Here she would doubtless have remained until

suffocated, had not Jimmy in his backward flight from one of the

inner rooms overturned a large rocker. This additional shock to Zoie's

overstrung nerves forced a wild scream from her lips, and an answering

exclamation from the nerve-racked Jimmy made her sit bolt upright. She

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gazed at him in astonishment. His tie was awry, one end of his collar

had taken leave of its anchorage beneath his stout chin, and was now

just tickling the edge of his red, perspiring brow. His hair was on end

and his feelings were undeniably ruffled. As usual Zoie's greeting did

not tend to conciliate him.

"How did YOU get here?" she asked with an air of reproach.

"The fire-escape," panted Jimmy and he nodded mysteriously toward the

inner rooms of the apartment.

"Fire-escape?" echoed Zoie. There was only one and that led through the

bathroom window.

Jimmy explained no further. He was now peeping cautiously out of the

window toward the pavement below.

"Where's the mother?" demanded Zoie.

Jimmy jerked his thumb in the direction of the street. Zoie gazed at him

with grave apprehension.

"Jimmy!" she exclaimed. "You haven't killed her?"

Jimmy shook his head and continued to peer cautiously out of the window.

"What did you do with her?" called the now exasperated Zoie.

"What did I do with her?" repeated Jimmy, a flash of his old

resentment returning. "What did SHE do with ME?"

For the first time, Zoie became fully conscious of Jimmy's ludicrous

appearance. Her overstrained nerves gave way and she began to laugh

hysterically.

"Say," shouted Jimmy, towering over the bed and devoutly wishing that

she were his wife so that he might strike her with impunity. "Don't you

sic any more lunatics onto me."

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.




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