When Jimmy reached his office after his unforeseen call upon Zoie, his
subsequent encounter with Alfred, and his enforced luncheon at home
with Aggie, he found his mail, his 'phone calls, and his neglected
appointments in a state of hopeless congestion, and try as he would, he
could not concentrate upon their disentanglement. Growing more and more
furious with the long legged secretary who stood at the corner of his
desk, looking down upon him expectantly, and waiting for his tardy
instructions, Jimmy rose and looked out of the window. He could feel
Andrew's reproachful eyes following him.
"Shall Miss Perkins take your letters now?" asked Andrew, and he
wondered how late the office staff would be kept to-night to make up for
the time that was now being wasted.
Coming after repeated wounds from his nearest and dearest, Andrew's
implied reproach was too much for Jimmy's overwrought nerves. "Get out!"
he answered unceremoniously. And when Andrew could assure himself that
he had heard aright, he stalked out of the door with his head high in
the air.
Jimmy looked after his departing secretary with positive hatred. It was
apparent to him that the whole world was against him. He had been
too easy he decided. His family, friends, and business associates
had undoubtedly lost all respect for him. From this day forth he was
determined to show himself to be a man of strong mettle.
Having made this important decision and having convinced himself that he
was about to start on a new life, Jimmy strode to the door of the office
and, without disturbing the injured Andrew, he called sharply to Miss
Perkins to come at once and take his letters.
Poor Jimmy! Again he tried in vain to concentrate upon the details of
the "cut-glass" industry. Invariably his mind would wander back to the
unexpected incidents of the morning. Stopping suddenly in the middle of
a letter to a competing firm, he began pacing hurriedly up and down the
room.
Had she not feared that her chief might misconstrue any suggestion from
her as an act of impertinence, Miss Perkins, having learned all the
company's cut-glass quotations by rote, could easily have supplied the
remainder of the letter. As it was, she waited impatiently, tapping the
corner of the desk with her idle pencil. Jimmy turned at the sound, and
glanced at the pencil with unmistakable disapproval. Miss Perkins waited
in silence. After one or two more uneasy laps about the room, Jimmy went
to his 'phone and called his house number.
"It's undoubtedly domestic trouble," decided Miss Perkins, and she
wondered whether it would be delicate of her, under the circumstances,
to remain in the room.