"He's the only one she's ever lunched with, ALONE," said Alfred. "She's
been giddy, but at least she's always been chaperoned, except with him.
He's the one all right; there's no doubt about it. He's the beginning of
the end."
"His own end, yes," assented Jimmy half to himself. "Now, see here, old
man," he argued, "I'd give that poor devil a chance to explain."
"Explain!" shouted Alfred so sharply that Jimmy quickly retreated. "I
wouldn't believe him now if he were one of the Twelve Apostles."
"That's tough," murmured Jimmy as he saw the last avenue of honourable
escape closed to him.
"Tough!" roared Alfred, thinking of himself. "Hah."
"On the Apostles, I mean," explained Jimmy nervously.
Again Alfred paced up and down the room, and again Jimmy tried to think
of some way to escape from his present difficulty. It was quite apparent
that his only hope lay not in his own candor, but in Alfred's absence.
"How long do you expect to be away?" he asked.
"Only until I hear from Henri," said Alfred.
"Henri?" repeated Jimmy and again a gleam of hope shone on his dull
features. He had heard that waiters were often to be bribed. "Nice
fellow, Henri," he ventured cautiously. "Gets a large salary, no doubt?"
"Does he!" exclaimed Alfred, with a certain pride of proprietorship. "No
tips could touch Henri, no indeed. He's not that sort of a person."
Again the hope faded from Jimmy's round face.
"I look upon Henri as my friend," continued Alfred enthusiastically. "He
speaks every language known to man. He's been in every country in the
world. HENRI UNDERSTANDS LIFE."
"LOTS of people UNDERSTAND LIFE," commented Jimmy dismally, "but SOME
people don't APPRECIATE it. They value it too lightly, to MY way of
thinking."
"Ah, but you have something to live for," argued Alfred.
"I have indeed; a great deal," agreed Jimmy, more and more abused at the
thought of what he was about to lose.
"Ah, that's different," exclaimed Alfred. "But what have I?"
Jimmy was in no frame of mind to consider his young friend's assets, he
was thinking of his own difficulties.
"I'm a laughing stock," shouted Alfred. "I know it. A 'good thing' who
gives his wife everything she asks for, while she is running around
with--with my best friend, for all I know."