"Very good, sir," was the ironical, stage-butler reply to this sally. "The grapefruit is very good this morning. Will you have some?"
Merriam glanced at Rockwell.
"Very likely we'll have some," said the latter, "but we want something else first."
"Before the grapefruit?" inquired Simpson.
"Yes, before the grapefruit," said Rockwell, a trifle sharply. "And what we propose to have before the grapefruit is a bit of talk with you, Mr. Simpson--about last night. Do you care to sit down?" He pointed to a chair.
Simpson was undoubtedly agitated, but he controlled himself excellently. He even lifted his eyebrows:
"I hope I know my place, sir."
He raised his pad and wrote on it.
"Grapefruit," he said with insolent suavity. "For two? And then what? We have some excellent ham."
"Damn your ham!" cried Rockwell. He snatched the man's pad and threw it on the floor. "Sit down in that chair and drop this damned pose! We're going to talk to you man to man."