"If I'd told Alfred all MY ideas about things," smiled Zoie,
"there'd have BEEN no beginning."

"What do you mean?" asked Aggie, with a troubled look.

"Well, take our meeting," explained Zoie. "Just as we were
introduced, that horrid little Willie Peck caught his heel in a
flounce of my skirt. I turned round to slap him, but I saw
Alfred looking, so I patted his ugly little red curls instead.
And what do you think? Alfred told me to-night that it was my
devotion to Willie that first made him adore me."

"And you didn't explain to him?" asked Aggie in amazement.

"And lose him before I'd got him!" exclaimed Zoie.

"It might be better than losing him AFTER you've got him,"
concluded the elder girl.

"Oh, Aggie," pouted Zoie, "I think you are horrid. You're just
trying to spoil all the fun of my engagement."

"I am not," cried Aggie, and the next moment she was sitting on
the arm of Zoie's chair.

"Goose!" she said, "how dare you be cross with me?"

"I am NOT cross," declared Zoie, and after the customary
apologies from Aggie, confidence was fully restored on both sides
and Zoie continued gaily: "Don't you worry about Alfred and me,"