"Leave Chicago!" exclaimed Zoie incredulously. Then regaining her

self-composure, she edged her way close to him and looked up into his

eyes in baby-like wonderment. "Why, Allie, where are we going?" Her

small arm crept up toward his shoulder. Alfred pushed it from him

rudely.

"WE are not going," he asserted in a firm, measured voice. "I am

going. Where's my hat?" And again he started in search of his absent

headgear.

"Oh, Allie!" she exclaimed, and this time there was genuine alarm in her

voice, "you wouldn't leave me?"

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"Wouldn't I, though?" sneered Alfred. Before he knew it, Zoie's arms

were about him--she was pleading desperately.

"Now see here, Allie, you may call me all the names you like," she cried

with great self-abasement, "but you shan't--you SHAN'T go away from

Chicago."

"Oh, indeed?" answered Alfred as he shook himself free of her. "I

suppose you'd like me to go on with this cat and dog existence. You'd

like me to stay right here and pay the bills and take care of you, while

you flirt with every Tom, Dick and Harry in town."

"It's only your horrid disposition that makes you talk like that,"

whimpered Zoie. "You know very well that I never cared for anybody but

you."

"Until you GOT me, yes," assented Alfred, "and NOW you care for

everybody BUT me." She was about to object, but he continued quickly.

"Where you MEET your gentlemen friends is beyond me. I don't introduce

them to you."

"I should say not," agreed Zoie, and there was a touch of vindictiveness

in her voice. "The only male creature that you ever introduced to me was

the family dog."

"I introduce every man who's fit to meet you," declared Alfred with an

air of great pride.

"That doesn't speak very well for your acquaintances," snipped Zoie.

Even HER temper was beginning to assert itself.

"I won't bicker like this," declared Alfred.

"That's what you always say, when you can't think of an answer,"

retorted Zoie.

"You mean when I'm tired of answering your nonsense!" thundered Alfred.




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