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.