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Two shocked eyes stared into the butler's face。
〃Children？〃 The word came in a whisper。
〃A racquet？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Youyou didn't say a soft ball？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
A sort of spasm seemed to convulse Mr。 Crocker。 He had lived five years in England； but not till this moment had he realised to the full how utterly alone he was in an alien land。 Fate had placed him； bound and helpless； in a country where they called baseball Rounders and played it with a soft ball。
He sank back into his chair； staring before him。 And as he sat the wall seemed to melt and he was gazing upon a green field； in the centre of which a man in a grey uniform was beginning a Salome dance。 Watching this person with a cold and suspicious eye； stood another uniformed man； holding poised above his shoulder a sturdy club。 Two Masked Marvels crouched behind him in attitudes of watchful waiting。 On wooden seats all around sat a vast multitude of shirt…sleeved spectators； and the air was full of voices。
One voice detached itself from the din。
〃Pea…nuts！ Get y'r pea…nuts！〃
Something that was almost a sob shook Bingley Crocker's ample frame。 Bayliss the butler gazed down upon him with concern。 He was sure the master was unwell。
The case of Mr。 Bingley Crocker was one that would have provided an admirable 〃instance〃 for a preacher seeking to instil into an impecunious and sceptical flock the lesson that money does not of necessity bring with it happiness。 And poetry has crystallised his position in the following stanza。
An exile from home splendour dazzles in vain。 Oh； give me my lowly thatched cottage again； The birds singing gaily； that came at my call； Give me them； and that peace of mind dearer than all。
Mr。 Crocker had never lived in a thatched cottage； nor had his relations with the birds of his native land ever reached the stage of intimacy indicated by the poet； but substitute 〃Lambs Club〃 for the former and 〃members〃 for the latter； and the parallel bees plete。
Until the time of his second marriage Bingley Crocker had been an actor； a snapper…up of whatever small character…parts the gods provided。 He had an excellent disposition； no money； and one son； a young man of twenty…one。 For forty…five years he had lived a hand…to…mouth existence in which his next meal had generally e as a pleasant surprise： and then； on an Atlantic liner； he met the widow of G。 G。 van Brunt； the sole heiress to that magnate's immense fortune。
What Mrs。 van Brunt could have seen in Bingley Crocker to cause her to single him out from all the world passes prehension： but the eccentricities of Cupid are monplace。 It were best to shun examination into first causes and stick to results。 The swift romance began and reached its climax in the ten days which it took one of the smaller Atlantic liners to sail from Liverpool to New York。 Mr。 Crocker was on board because he was returning with a theatrical pany from a failure in London； Mrs。 van Brunt because she had been told that the slow boats were the steadiest。 They began the voyage as strangers and ended it as an engaged couplethe affair being expedited； no doubt； by the fact that； even if it ever occurred to Bingley to resist the onslaught on his bachelor peace； he soon realised the futility of doing so； for the cramped conditions of ship…board intensified the always overwhelming effects of his future bride's determined nature。
The engagement was received in a widely differing spirit by the only surviving blood…relations of the two principals。 Jimmy； Mr。 Crocker's son； on being informed that his father had plighted his troth to the widow of a prominent millionaire； displayed the utmost gratification and enthusiasm； and at a little supper which he gave by way of farewell to a few of his newspaper rades and which lasted till six in the morning； when it was broken up by the flying wedge of waiters for which the selected restaurant is justly famous； joyfully announced that work and he would from then on be total strangers。 He alluded in feeling terms to the Providence which watches over good young men and saves them from the blighting necessity of offering themselves in the flower of their golden youth as human sacrifices to the Moloch of capitalistic greed： and； having miserated with his guests in that a similar stroke of luck had not happened to each of them； advised them to drown their sorrows in drink。 Which they did。
Far different was the attitude of Mrs。 Crocker's sister； Nesta Pett。 She entirely disapproved of the proposed match。 At least； the fact that in her final interview with her sister she described the bridegroom…to…be as a wretched mummer； a despicable fortune…hunter； a broken…down tramp； and a sneaking； grafting confidence…trickster lends colour to the supposition that she was not a warm supporter of it。 She agreed wholeheartedly with Mrs。 Crocker's suggestion that they should never speak to each other again as long as they lived： and it was immediately after this that the latter removed husband Bingley； step…son Jimmy； and all her other goods and chattels to London； where they had remained ever since。 Whenever Mrs。 Crocker spoke of America now； it was in tones of the deepest dislike and contempt。 Her friends were English； and every year more exclusively of England's aristocracy。 She intended to bee a leading figure in London Society； and already her progress had been astonishing。 She knew the right people； lived in the right square； said the right things； and thought the right thoughts： and in the Spring of her third year had succeeded in curing Bingley of his habit of beginning his remarks with the words 〃Say； lemme tell ya something。〃 Her progress； in short； was beginning to assume the aspect of a walk…over。
Against her plete contentment and satisfaction only one thing militated。 That was the behaviour of her step…son； Jimmy。
It was of Jimmy that she spoke when； having hung the receiver on its hook； she returned to the breakfast…room。 Bayliss had silently withdrawn； and Mr。 Crocker was sitting in sombre silence at the table。
〃A most fortunate thing has happened； Bingley；〃 she said。 〃It was most kind of dear Lady Corstorphine to ring me up。 It seems that her nephew； Lord Percy Whipple； is back in England。 He has been in Ireland for the past three years； on the staff of the Lord Lieutenant； and only arrived in London yesterday afternoon。 Lady Corstorphine has promised to arrange a meeting between him and James。 I particularly want them to be friends。〃
〃Eugenia；〃 said Mr。 Crocker in a hollow voice； 〃do you know they call baseball Rounders over here； and children play it with a soft ball？〃
〃James is being a serious problem。 It is absolutely necessary that he should make friends with the right kind of young men。〃
〃And a racquet；〃 said Mr。 Crocker。
〃Please listen to what I am saying； Bingley。 I am talking about James。 There is a crude American strain in him which seems to grow worse instead of better。 I was lunching with the Delafields at the Carlton yesterday； and there； only a few tables away； was James with an impossible young man in appalling clothes。 It was outrageous that James should have been seen in public at all with such a person。 The man had a broken nose and talked through it。 He was saying in a loud voice that made everybody turn round something about his left…scissors hookwhatever that may have been。 I discovered later that he was a low professional pugilist from New Yorka man named Spike Dillon； I think Captain Wroxton said。 And Jimmy was giving him lunchat the Carlton！〃
Mr。 Crocker said nothing。 Constant practice had made him an adept at saying nothing when his wife was talking。
〃James must be made to realise his responsibilities。 I shall have to speak to him。 I was hearing only the other day of a most deserving man； extremely rich and lavishly generous in his contributions to the party funds； who was only given a knighthood； simply because he had a son who had behaved in a manner that could not possibly be overlooked。 The present Court is extraordinarily strict in its views。 James cannot be too careful。 A certain amount of wildness in a young man is quite proper in the best set； provided that he is wild in the right pany。 Every one knows that young Lord Datchet was ejected from the Empire Music…Hall on Boat…Race night every year during his residence at Oxford University； but nobody minds。 The family treats it as a joke。 But James has such low tastes。 Professional pugilists！ I believe that many years ago it was not unfashionable for young men in Society to be seen about with such persons； but those days are over。 I shall certainly speak to James。 He cannot afford to call attention to himself in any way。 That breach…of…promise case of his three years ago； is； I hope and trust； forgotten； but the slightest slip on his part might start the papers talking about it again； and that would be fatal。 The eventual successor to a title must be quite as careful as〃
It was not； as has been hinted above； the usual practice of Mr。 Crocker to interrupt his wife when she was speaking； but he did it now。
〃Say！〃
Mrs。 Crocker frowned。
〃I wish； Bingleyand I have told you so oftenthat you would not begin your sentences with the word 'Say'！ It is such a revolting Americanism。 Suppose some day when you are addressing the House of Lords you should make a slip like that！ The papers would never let you hear the end of it。〃
Mr。 Crocker was swallowing convulsively； as if testing his larynx with a view to speech。 Like Saul of Tarsus； he had been stricken dumb by the sudden bright light which his wife's words had caused to flash upon him。 Frequently during his sojourn in London he had wondered just why Eugenia had settled there in preference to her own country。 It was not her wont to do things without an object； yet until this moment he had been unable to fathom her motives。 Even now it seemed almost incredible。 And yet what meaning would her words have other than the monstrous one which had smitten him as a blackjack？
〃SayI mean； Eugeniayou don't wantyou aren't tryingyou aren't working toyou haven't any idea of trying to get them to make me a Lord； have you？〃
〃It is what I have been working for all these years！〃
〃Butbut why？ Why？ That's what I want to know。 Why？〃
Mrs。 Crocker's fine eyes glittered。
〃I will tell you why； Bingley。 just before we were married I had a talk with my sister Nesta。 She was insufferably offensive。 She referred to you in terms which I shall never forgive。 She affected to look down on you； to think that I was marrying beneath me。 So I am going to make you an English peer and send Nesta a newspaper clipping of the Birthday Honours with your name in it； if I have to keep working till I die！ Now you know！〃
Silence fell。 Mr。 Crocker drank cold coffee。 His wife stared with gleaming eyes into the glorious future。
〃Do you mean that I shall have to stop on here till they make me a lord？〃 said Mr。 Crocker limply。
〃Yes。〃
〃Never go back to America？〃
〃Not till we have succeeded。〃
〃Oh Gee！ Oh Gosh！ Oh Hell！〃 said Mr。 Crocker； bursting the bonds of years。
Mrs。 Crocker though resolute； was not unkindly。 She made allowances for her husband's state of mind。 She was willing to permit even American expletives during the sinking…in process of her great idea； much as a broad…minded cowboy might listen indulgently to the squealing of a mustang during the branding process。 Docility and obedience would he demanded of him later； but not till the first agony had abated。 She spoke soothingly to him。
〃I am glad we have had this talk； Bingley。 It is best that you should know。 It will help you to realise your responsibilities。 And that brings me back to James。 Thank goodness Lord Percy Whipple is in town。 He is about James' age； and from what Lady Corstorphine tells me will be an ideal friend for him。 You understand who he is； of course？ The second son of the Duke of Devizes； the Premier's closest friend； the man who can practically dictate the Birthday Honours。 If James and Lord Percy can only form a close friendship； our battle will be as good as won。 It will mean everything。 Lady Corstorphine has promised to arrange a meeting。 In the meantime； I will speak to James and warn him to be more careful。〃
Mr。 Crocker had produced a st