Page:The Breath of Scandal (1922).djvu/294

 For Rinderfeld was on his feet now; Sam Troufrie also was standing.

"Marjorie, come!" said Billy. "I've found you—don't you know. Come come with me!"

She sat there, staring up at him but not even raising an arm. Rinderfeld spoke to him now, but Billy paid no attention at all to Rinderfeld; Billy's hands seized her, her shoulders felt his fingers; his face came close to hers for he dropped to one knee beside her chair, holding her and shaking her a little as though, when she stared at him, she was asleep and he had to wake her.

"What have they been doing to you, Marjorie?" Still gripping her, he turned on Rinderfeld and in a whisper but savagely he said, "What have you done to her?"

Then other hands seized Billy; not Rinderfeld's. Waiters and the manager of the restaurant were around Billy.

"Don't hurt him!" Marjorie cried.

"Hurt me?" said Billy; and he laughed and let her go and straightened and threw one man down.

"We're going into the manager's room," Rinderfeld said quickly; and she got up and he led her, with Billy and the manager and the waiters crowding after them.

They all pushed into the room but only Billy and she and Rinderfeld stayed there; the rest got out, or Rinderfeld started them out and Billy finished the getting rid of them. He grabbed at Rinderfeld, too. "You get out of here now!"

Marjorie recovered herself at that. "Billy, you must control yourself!"