"Oh--oh!" squeals Inez in that shrill, raspy voice of hers.

"They say he beats his wife, though," adds Whity.

"Oh!--oh!" squeals Inez, again, higher and shriller than ever. I
expect she'd been more or less keyed up before; but this adds the
finishin' touch. And she lets 'em out reckless.

Course, everyone stops chatterin' and looks her way. No wonder! You'd
thought she was havin' a fit. Over rushes Virgil, ladle in hand.

"My dear Inez!" says he. "What is it? A fishbone?"

"Monster!" she bowls. "Deceiver! Leave me, never let me see your face
again! Oh--oh! Cheese! Six children! Oh--oh!" With that she
tumbles over on Whity and turns purple in the face.

Say, it was some sensation we had there for a few minutes; but after
they'd sprinkled her face, and rubbed her wrists, and poured a couple
of fingers of brandy into her, she revives. And the first thing she
catches sight of is Virgie, standin' there lookin' puzzled, still
holdin' the soup ladle.

"Monster!" she hisses at him. "I know all--all! And I quit you
forever!"

With that she dashes for the cloakroom, grabs her opera wrap, and beats
it for the elevator. Course, that busts up the show, and inside of
half an hour everybody but us has left, and most of 'em went out
snickerin'.