"No, I'm not!" cried Bobo, banging the table. "I want money, and I want it quick!" Jack looked more stubborn than ever. "I'll talk to you afterwards," he said. "We can't discuss business at meals." "Look here, you'd better understand you'll talk business whenever we want!" said Miriam. Jack frowned. Still addressing Bobo he said: "We got along all right till she began to butt in." Miriam turned pale with anger. This, as Jack intended it to be, was an outrageous affront to the dignity she now affected. "Are you--going to--sit there--and let him insult me!" she stammered to Bobo. Bobo banged the table again. That table was of inestimable support to him. "No, I'm not! You apologize to her!" "I won't!" muttered Jack, feigning the sulks. "Apologize to her!" shouted Bobo. "Oh, I apologize," said Jack gracelessly. "That's no apology!" said Miriam. Jack sprang up and made a sweeping bow, one hand on his breast. "I humbly beg your ladyship's pardon," he said ironically. Miriam was almost ready to cry now. "Don't you see he's insulting me more than ever!" Bobo banged the table again. "You treat her with proper respect or I'll fire you!" "You don't dare fire me," said Jack threateningly. Miriam caught him up as quick as lightning. "Don't dare fire you! Why not, I'd like to know!" Turning to Bobo: "Has he got something on you? Is that why we've had to put up with his cheek all this while! Oh, I see it all now!" Jack, while preserving his defiant front, was quivering with laughter inside. The thing was working better than he had dared hope. "What do you care what he's got on you!" continued Miriam. "Aren't you worth a hundred millions? A millionaire can do anything he wants and get away with it!" "You're right!" cried Bobo banging the table. "I'm tired of having it thrown up to me. I'm tired of being under the thumb of my own secretary. I can do what I want! I can spend my money the way I want! You're fired, do you hear!" Miriam smiled an unpleasant smile. Her dearest wish was coming true. Jack made out to be much taken aback. "You don't dare," he muttered. "We'll see whether I dare! You pack up your things and get out before night, see? I'll pay you a month's salary to be rid of you!" "I won't go," said Jack. "Then you'll be thrown out!" said Miriam. "I'll tell what I know!" "Go ahead and tell it," said Bobo. "I'm sick of hearing about it!" "I'll tell her!" "Tell me," said Miriam. "I guess I can stand it." "When we worked in the sash and blind factory together," said Jack with the air of one delivering damning evidence, "he used to swipe his lunch money out of the petty cash, and make phony entries in the cash book to hide it. I caught him at it!" Bobo hung his head in simulated shame. It was good comedy. Miriam shouted with laughter. "Is that all!" To Bobo: "You poor idiot! Do you mean to say that was all he had over you to set him up so!"