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rt of morose resolution。
〃There's certain to be a boat；〃 said the girl。 〃There always is。 You've got to say that for Englandit's an easy place to get back to America from。〃 She paused。 〃What I can't understand is how； after having been in America and knowing what it was like； Jimmy Crocker could stand living 。 。 。〃
The waiter had e to Jimmy's side； bearing cheese； but Jimmy looked at it with dislike and shook his head in silent negation。 He was about to depart from this place。 His capacity for absorbing home…truths about himself was exhausted。 He placed a noiseless sovereign on the table； caught the waiter's eye； registered renunciation； and departed soft…footed down the aisle。 The waiter； a man who had never been able to bring himself to believe in miracles； revised the views of a life…time。 He looked at the sovereign； then at Jimmy； then at the sovereign again。 Then he took up the coin and bit it furtively。
A few minutes later； a hat…check boy； untipped for the first time in his predatory career； was staring at Jimmy with equal intensity； but with far different feelings。 Speechless concern was limned on his young face。
The missionaire at the Piccadilly entrance of the restaurant touched his hat ingratiatingly； with the smug confidence of a man who is accustomed to getting sixpence a time for doing it。
〃Taxi； Mr。 Crocker？〃
〃A worm；〃 said Jimmy。
〃Beg pardon； sir？〃
〃Always drinking；〃 explained Jimmy； 〃and making a pest of himself。〃
He passed on。 The missionaire stared after him as intently as the waiter and the hat…check boy。 He had sometimes known Mr。 Crocker like this after supper； but never before during the luncheon hour。
Jimmy made his way to his club in Northumberland Avenue。 For perhaps half an hour he sat in a condition of a in the smoking…room； then； his mind made up； he went to one of the writing…tables。 He sat awaiting inspiration for some minutes； then began to write。
The letter he wrote was to his father：
Dear Dad：
I have been thinking over what we talked about this morning； and it seems to me the best thing I can do is to drop out of sight for a brief space。 If I stay on in London； I am likely at any moment to pull some bone like last night's which will spill the beans for you once more。 The least I can do for you is to give you a clear field and not interfere； so I am off to New York by to…night's boat。
I went round to Percy's to try to grovel in the dust before him； but he wouldn't see me。 It's no good grovelling in the dust of the front steps for the benefit of a man who's in bed on the second floor； so I withdrew in more or less good order。 I then got the present idea。 Mark how all things work together for good。 When they e to you and say 〃No title for you。 Your son slugged our pal Percy；〃 all you have to do is to e back at them with 〃I know my son slugged Percy； and believe me I didn't do a thing to him！ I packed him off to America within twenty…four hours。 Get me right； boys！ I'm anti…Jimmy and pro…Percy。〃 To which their reply will be 〃Oh； well； in that case arise； Lord Crocker！〃 or whatever they say when slipping a title to a deserving guy。 So you will see that by making this getaway I am doing the best I can to put things straight。 I shall give this to Bayliss to give to you。 I am going to call him up on the phone in a minute to have him pack a few simple tooth…brushes and so on for me。 On landing in New York； I shall instantly proceed to the Polo Grounds to watch a game of Rounders； and will cable you the full score。 Well。 I think that's about all。 So good…byeor even farewellfor the present。
J。
P。S。 I know you'll understand； dad。 I'm doing what seems to me the only possible thing。 Don't worry about me。 I shall be all right。 I'll get back my old job and be a terrific success all round。 You go ahead and get that title and then meet me at the entrance of the Polo Grounds。 I'll be looking for you。
P。P。S。 I'm a worm。
The young clerk at the steamship offices appeared rejoiced to see Jimmy once more。 With a sunny smile he snatched a pencil from his ear and plunged it into the vitals of the Atlantic。
〃How about E。 a hundred and eight？〃
〃Suits me。〃
〃You're too late to go in the passenger…list； of course。〃
Jimmy did not reply。 He was gazing rigidly at a girl who had just e in； a girl with red hair and a friendly smile。
〃So you're sailing on the Atlantic； too！〃 she said； with a glance at the chart on the counter。 〃How odd！ We have just decided to go back on her too。 There's nothing to keep us here and we're all homesick。 Well； you see I wasn't run over after I left you。〃
A delicious understanding relieved Jimmy's swimming brain； as thunder relieves the tense and straining air。 The feeling that he was going mad left him； as the simple solution of his mystery came to him。 This girl must have heard of him in New Yorkperhaps she knew people whom he knew and it was on hearsay； not on personal acquaintance； that she based that dislike of him which she had expressed with such freedom and conviction so short a while before at the Regent Grill。 She did not know who he was！
Into this soothing stream of thought cut the voice of the clerk。
〃What name； please？〃
Jimmy's mind rocked again。 Why were these things happening to him to…day of all days； when he needed the tenderest treatment； when he had a headache already？
The clerk was eyeing him expectantly。 He had laid down his pencil and was holding aloft a pen。 Jimmy gulped。 Every name in the English language had passed from his mind。 And then from out of the dark came inspiration。
〃Bayliss；〃 he croaked。
The girl held out her hand。
〃Then we can introduce ourselves at last。 My name is Ann Chester。 How do you do； Mr。 Bayliss？〃
〃How do you do； Miss Chester？〃
The clerk had finished writing the ticket； and was pressing labels and a pink paper on him。 The paper； he gathered dully； was a form and had to be filled up。 He examined it； and found it to be a searching document。 Some of its questions could be answered off…hand； others required thought。
〃Height？〃 Simple。 Five foot eleven。
〃Hair？〃 Simple。 Brown。
〃Eyes？〃 Simple again。 Blue。
Next； queries of a more offensive kind。
〃Are you a polygamist？〃
He could answer that。 Decidedly no。 One wife would be ampleprovided she had red…gold hair； brown…gold eyes； the right kind of mouth； and a dimple。 Whatever doubts there might be in his mind on other points； on that one he had none whatever。
〃Have you ever been in prison？〃
Not yet。
And then a very difficult one。 〃Are you a lunatic？〃
Jimmy hesitated。 The ink dried on his pen。 He was wondering。
* * *
In the dim cavern of Paddington Station the boat…train snorted impatiently； varying the process with an occasional sharp shriek。 The hands of the station clock pointed to ten minutes to six。 The platform was a confused mass of travellers； porters； baggage； trucks； boys with buns and fruits； boys with magazines； friends； relatives； and Bayliss the butler； standing like a faithful watchdog beside a large suitcase。 To the human surf that broke and swirled about him he paid no attention。 He was looking for the young master。
Jimmy clove the crowd like a one…man flying…wedge。 Two fruit and bun boys who impeded his passage drifted away like leaves on an Autumn gale。
〃Good man！〃 He possessed himself of the suitcase。 〃I was afraid you might not be able to get here。〃
〃The mistress is dining out； Mr。 James。 I was able to leave the house。〃
〃Have you packed everything I shall want？〃
〃Within the scope of a suitcase； yes； sir。〃
〃Splendid！ Oh； by the way； give this letter to my father； will you？〃
〃Very good； sir。〃
〃I'm glad you were able to manage。 I thought your voice sounded doubtful over the phone。〃
〃I was a good deal taken aback； Mr。 James。 Your decision to leave was so extremely sudden。〃
〃So was Columbus'。 You know about him？ He saw an egg standing on its head and whizzed off like a jack…rabbit。〃
〃If you will pardon the liberty； Mr。 James； is it not a little rash？〃
〃Don't take the joy out of life； Bayliss。 I may be a chump； but try to forget it。 Use your willpower。〃
〃Good evening； Mr。 Bayliss；〃 said a voice behind them。 They both turned。 The butler was gazing rather coyly at a vision in a grey tailor…made suit。
〃Good evening； miss；〃 he said doubtfully。
Ann looked at him in astonishment； then broke into a smile。
〃How stupid of me！ I meant this Mr。 Bayliss。 Your son！ We met at the steamship offices。 And before that he saved my life。 So we are old friends。〃
Bayliss； gaping perplexedly and feeling unequal to the intellectual pressure of the conversation； was surprised further to perceive a warning scowl on the face of his Mr。 James。 Jimmy had not foreseen this thing； but he had a quick mind and was equal to it。
〃How are you； Miss Chester？ My father has e down to see me off。 This is Miss Chester； dad。〃
A British butler is not easily robbed of his poise； but Bayliss was frankly unequal to the sudden demand on his presence of mind。 He lowered his jaw an inch or two； but spoke no word。
〃Dad's a little upset at my going；〃 whispered Jimmy confidentially。 〃He's not quite himself。〃
Ann was a girl possessed of ready tact but of a kind heart。 She had summed up Mr。 Bayliss at a glance。 Every line of him proclaimed him a respectable upper servant。 No girl on earth could have been freer than she of snobbish prejudice； but she could not check a slight thrill of surprise and disappointment at the discovery of Jimmy's humble origin。 She understood everything； and there were tears in her eyes as she turned away to avoid intruding on the last moments of the parting of father and son。
〃I'll see you on the boat； Mr。 Bayliss；〃 she said。
〃Eh？〃 said Bayliss。
〃Yes； yes；〃 said Jimmy。 〃Good…bye till then。〃
Ann walked on to her partment。 She felt as if she had just read a whole long novel； one of those chunky younger…English…novelist things。 She knew the whole story as well as if it had been told to her in detail。 She could see the father； the honest steady butler； living his life with but one aim； to make a gentleman of his beloved only son。 Year by year he had saved。 Probably he had sent the son to college。 And now； with a father's blessing and the remains of a father's savings； the boy was setting out for the New World； where dollar…bills grew on trees and no one asked or cared who any one else's father might be。
There was a lump in her throat。 Bayliss would have been amazed if he could have known what a figure of pathetic fineness he seemed to her。 And then her thoughts turned to Jimmy； and she was aware of a glow of kindliness towards him。 His father had succeeded in his life's ambition。 He had produced a gentleman！ How easily and simply； without a trace of snobbish shame； the young man had introduced his father。 There was the right stuff in him。 He was not ashamed of the humble man who had given him his chance in life。 She found herself liking Jimmy amazingly 。 。 。
The hands of the clock pointed to three minutes to the hour。 Porters skimmed to and fro like water…beetles。
〃I can't explain；〃 said Jimmy。 〃It wasn't temporary insanity； it was necessity。〃
〃Very good； Mr。 James。 I think you had better be taking your seat now。〃
〃Quite right； I had。 It would spoil the whole thing if they left me behind。 Bayliss； did you ever see such eyes？ Such hair！ Look after my father while I am away。 Don't let the dukes worry him。 Oh； and； Bayliss〃Jimmy drew his hand from his pocket〃as one pal to another〃
Bayliss looked at the crackling piece of paper。
〃I couldn't； Mr。 James； I really couldn't！ A five…pound note！ I couldn't！〃
〃Nonsense！ Be a sport！〃
〃Begging your pardon； Mr。 James； I really couldn't。 You cannot afford to throw away your money like this。 You cannot have a great deal of it； if you will excuse me for saying so。〃
〃I won't do anything of the sort。 Grab it！ Oh； Lord； the train's starting！ Good…bye； Bayliss！〃
The engine gave a final shriek of farewell。 The train began to slide along the platform； pursued to the last by optimistic boys offering buns for sale。 It gathered speed。 Jimmy； leaning out the window； was amazed at a spectacle so unusual as practically to amount to a modern miraclethe spectacled Bayliss ru