Jimmy only stared at him and he continued excitedly: "She's had
the effrontery--the bad taste--the idiocy to lunch in a public
restaurant with the blackguard."

The mere sound of the word made Jimmy shudder, but engrossed in
his own troubles Alfred continued without heeding him.

"Henri, the head-waiter, told me," explained Alfred, and Jimmy
remembered guiltily that he had been very bumptious with the
fellow. "You know the place," continued Alfred, "the LaSalle --a
restaurant where I am known--where she is known--where my best
friends dine--where Henri has looked after me for years. That
shows how desperate she is. She must be mad about the fool.
She's lost all sense of decency." And again Alfred paced the
floor.

"Oh, I wouldn't go as far as that," stammered Jimmy.

"Oh, wouldn't you?" cried Alfred, again turning so abruptly that
Jimmy caught his breath. Each word of Jimmy's was apparently
goading him on to greater anger.

"Now don't get hasty," Jimmy almost pleaded. "The whole thing is
no doubt perfectly innocent. Talk to her gently. Win her
confidence. Get her to tell you the truth."

"The truth!" shouted Alfred in derision. "Zoie! The truth!"

Jimmy feared that his young friend might actually become
violent. Alfred bore down upon him like a maniac.