"I'm going to be unselfish," answered Alfred, "and let Jimmy have that
fun."
By this time, Jimmy had been seized with an intuitive feeling that his
friend was in immediate danger.
"Was this the young woman who was to sit opposite the fireside five
nights a week and systematise Alfred's life?"
Jimmy stared at the intruder blankly. For answer, two small hands were
thrust out toward him and an impatient little voice was commanding him
to "Come, dance." He heard Alfred's laughter. He had no intention of
accommodating the small person in this or any other matter, yet, before
he realised quite how it had happened, he was two-stepping up and down
the grass to her piping little voice; nor did she release him until the
perspiration came rolling from his forehead; and, horror of horrors, his
one-time friend, Alfred, seemed to find this amusing, and laughed louder
and louder when Jimmy sank by his side exhausted.
When Jimmy was again able to think consecutively, he concluded that
considerable conversation must have taken place between Alfred and
the small one, while he was recovering his breath and re-adjusting his
wilted neckwear. He was now thrown into a fresh panic by an exclamation
from the excitable Zoie.
"You must both meet my friend, Aggie Darling," she was saying. "I am
bringing her with me to the hop to-night. She is not at all like me.
You will like her dreadfully." She smiled at Jimmy as though she were
conferring a great favour upon him.
"Like her dreadfully," commented Jimmy to himself. "It was just the kind
of expression one might expect from a mind in such disorder as hers.
'Systematise Alfred's life,' indeed!"
There was more nonsensical chatter, or so it seemed to Jimmy, then Zoie
and Alfred rose to go, and Jimmy was told by both of them that he was to
put in an appearance at the Fraternity "hop" that night.
"I'll see you at dinner," called Alfred gaily over his shoulder and
Jimmy was left to grapple with his first disappointment at his friend's
lack of discrimination.
"It's her fault," concluded Jimmy, as he lifted himself heavily off
the bench and started down the campus, resolved to console himself with
food.