Kind of impulse, I suppose.

What have you been doing to little Alf ?" Burton looked at her in bewilderment.
"Doing to the boy ?" he repeated.

"I haven't seen him since I saw you last." "That's all very well for a tale," Ellen replied, "but you're not going to tell me that he's come into these ways naturally." "What ways ?" Burton exclaimed.

"My dear Ellen, you must be a little more explicit.

I tell you that I have not seen the child since I was at Garden Green.