Chapter 9
It happened that the two men, waiting in the vestibule of the
restaurant for Francis’ car to crawl up to the entrance through the
fog which had unexpectedly rolled up, heard the slight altercation
which was afterwards referred to as preceding the tragedy. The two
young people concerned were standing only a few feet away, the girl
pretty, a little peevish, an ordinary type; her companion, whose
boyish features were marred with dissipation, a very passable
example of the young man about town going a little beyond his
tether.
“It’s no good standing here, Victor!” the girl exclaimed,
frowning. “The commissionaire’s been gone ages already, and there
are two others before us for taxis.”
“We can’t walk,” her escort replied gloomily. “It’s a foul
night. Nothing to do but wa
