Jimmy was wishing the very same thing.

"If I cared about you," she sobbed, "it wouldn't be so bad; but to

think of losing my Alfred for----" words failed her and she trailed off

weakly,--"for nothing!"

"Thanks," grunted Jimmy curtly. In spite of himself he was always miffed

by the uncomplimentary way in which she disposed of him.

His sarcasm was lost upon Zoie. Having finished all she had to say to

him, she was now apparently bent upon indulging herself in a first class

fit of hysterics.

There are critical moments in all of our lives when our future happiness

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or woe hangs upon our own decision. Jimmy felt intuitively that he was

face to face with such a moment, but which way to turn? that was the

question. Being Jimmy, and soft-hearted in spite of his efforts to

conceal it, he naturally turned the wrong way, in other words, towards

Zoie.

"Oh, come now," he said awkwardly, as he crossed to the arm of her

chair. "This will soon blow over."

Zoie only sobbed the louder.

"This isn't the first time you and Alfred have called it all off," he

reminded her.

Again she sobbed.

Jimmy could never remember quite how it happened. But apparently he

must have patted Zoie on the shoulder. At any rate, something or other

loosened the flood-gates of her emotion, and before Jimmy could possibly

escape from her vicinity she had wheeled round in her chair, thrown her

arms about him, and buried her tear-stained face against his waist-coat.

"Good Lord!" exclaimed Jimmy, for the third time that morning, as he

glanced nervously toward the door; but Zoie was exclaiming in her own

way and sobbing louder and louder; furthermore she was compelling Jimmy

to listen to an exaggerated account of her many disappointments in her

unreasonable husband. Seeing no possibility of escape, without resorting

to physical violence, Jimmy stood his ground, wondering what to expect

next. He did not have long to wonder.




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