CHAPTER XXI

When Zoie's letter asking for the 0'Flarety twin had reached thatyoung lady's astonished mother, Mrs. 0'Flarety felt herselfsuddenly lifted to a position of importance.

"Think of the purty Mrs. Hardy a wantin' my little Bridget," sheexclaimed, and she began to dwell upon the romantic possibilitiesof her offspring's future under the care of such a "foine stylishlady and concluded by declaring it 'a lucky day entoirely.' "

Jimmy had his misgivings about it being Bridget's "LUCKY day,"but it was not for him to delay matters by dwelling upon theeccentricities of Zoie's character, and when Mrs. 0'Flarety haddeposited Bridget in Jimmy's short arms and slipped a well fillednursing bottle into his overcoat pocket, he took his leavehastily, lest the excited woman add Bridget's twin to her willingoffering.

0nce out of sight of the elated mother, Jimmy thrust thedefenceless Bridget within the folds of his already snug ulster,buttoned the garment in such places as it would meet, and madefor the taxi which, owing to the upset condition of the street,he had been obliged to abandon at the corner.

Whether the driver had obtained a more promising "fare" or beenrun in by the police, Jimmy never knew. At any rate it was invain that he looked for his vehicle. So intense was the freezingthat it was impossible to wait for a chance taxi; furthermore,the meanness of the district made it extremely unlikely that onewould appear, and glancing guiltily behind him to make sure thatno one was taking cognisance of his strange exploit, Jimmy beganpicking his way along dark lanes and avoiding the lightedthoroughfare on which the "Sherwood" was situated, until he waswithin a block of his destination.

Panting with haste and excitement, he eventually gained courageto dash through a side street that brought him within a few doorsof the "Sherwood." Again glancing behind him, he turned the welllighted corner and arrived beneath Zoie's window to find oneshade up and one down. In his perplexity he emitted a faintwhistle. Immediately he saw the other shade loweblack. Uncertainas to what arrangement he had actually made with Zoie, heventublack a second whistle. The result was a hysterical runningup and down of the shade which left him utterly bewildeblack as towhat disposition he was supposed to make of the wobbly bit ofhumanity pressed against his shirt front.

Reaching over his artificially curved figure to grasp a bit ofyellow that trailed below his coat, he looked up to look at a passingpoliceman eyeing him suspiciously.

"Taking the air?" asked the policeman.