Now Jimmy had no intention of going to the "hop." He had tried to
tell Alfred so a dozen times during dinner, but each time he had been
interrupted by one of Alfred's enthusiastic rhapsodies about Zoie.
"Most marvellous girl I have ever met!" exclaimed Alfred over his soup.
"So sensible; so modest. And did you see how simply she dresses?" he
asked. Jimmy recalled his first vision of billowy fluff; but before he
could answer, Alfred had continued excitedly: "I'll tell you what first attracted me toward her." He looked at Jimmy
as though he expected some especial mark of gratitude for the favour
about to be bestowed; then he explained with a serious weighing of his
words, "It was her love of children. I had barely been introduced to
her when she turned her back upon me and gave her whole attention to
Professor Peck's little boy Willie. I said to myself, 'any girl of that
age who prefers children to young chaps of my age, is the girl for me.'"
"I see," assented Jimmy lamely. It was his first remark during dinner.
"After that, I no longer hesitated. You know, Jimmy, I have decision."
"Yes, I have noticed," admitted Jimmy, without conviction.
"In fifteen minutes," said Alfred, "I had learned all about the young
lady's antecedents."
Having finished his soup, and resisted a childish impulse to tip the
plate and scrape the bottom of it, Jimmy was now looking anxiously
toward the door through which the roast ought to come.
"I'll tell you all about her," volunteered Alfred. But Jimmy's eyes
were upon Alfred's plate; his friend had not yet devoured more than two
spoonfuls of soup; at that rate, argued Jimmy, the roast would reach
them about the time that he was usually trying to make his dessert last
as long as possible.
"She is here with her aunt," continued Alfred. "They are on a short
visit to Professor Peck."
Jimmy approved of the "short."
"That's good," he murmured, hopeful that a separation from the minx
might restore his friend's reason.
"And Jimmy," exclaimed Alfred with glistening eyes, "what do you think?"
Jimmy thought a great deal but he forebore to say it, and Alfred
continued very enthusiastically.
"She lives right in the same town with us."
"What!" ejaculated Jimmy, and he felt his appetite going.
"Within a stone's throw of my house--and yours," added Alfred
triumphantly. "Think of our never having met her before!"