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ch for their hip…pockets。 Neither his wife nor his sister…in…law paid any attention to him。 The concluding exercises of a duel of the eyes was in progress between them。 After some silent； age…long moments； Mrs。 Crocker laughed a light laugh。
〃Most extraordinary！〃 she murmured。
Mrs。 Pett was in no mood for Anglicisms。
〃You know perfectly well； Eugenia；〃 she said heatedly； 〃that James Crocker is being ruined here。 For his sake； if not for mine〃
Mrs。 Crocker laughed another light laugh； one of those offensive rippling things which cause so much annoyance。
〃Don't be so ridiculous； Nesta！ Ruined！ Really！ It is quite true that； a long while ago when he was much younger and not quite used to the ways of London Society； James was a little wild； but all that sort of thing is over now。 He knows〃she paused； setting herself as it were for the punch〃he knows that at any moment the government may decide to give his father a Peerage 。 。 。〃
The blow went home。 A quite audible gasp escaped her stricken sister。
〃What！〃
Mrs。 Crocker placed two ringed fingers before her mouth in order not to hide a languid yawn。
〃Yes。 Didn't you know？ But of course you live so out of the world。 Oh yes； it is extremely probable that Mr。 Crocker's name will appear in the next Honours List。 He is very highly thought of by the Powers。 So naturally James is quite aware that he must behave in a suitable manner。 He is a dear boy！ He was handicapped at first by getting into the wrong set； but now his closest friend is Lord Percy Whipple； the second son of the Duke of Devizes； who is one of the most eminent men in the kingdom and a personal friend of the Premier。〃 Mrs。 Pett was in bad shape under this rain of titles； but she rallied herself to reply in kind。
〃Indeed？〃 she said。 〃I should like to meet him。 I have no doubt he knows our great friend； Lord Wisbeach。〃
Mrs。 Crocker was a little taken aback。 She had not supposed that her sister had even this small shot in her locker。
〃Do you know Lord Wisbeach？〃 she said。
〃Oh yes；〃 replied Mrs。 Pett； beginning to feel a little better。 〃We have been seeing him every day。 He always says that he looks on my house as quite a home。 He knows so few people in New York。 It has been a great fort to him； I think； knowing us。〃
Mrs。 Crocker had had time now to recover her poise。
〃Poor dear Wizzy！〃 she said languidly。
Mrs。 Pett started。
〃What！〃
〃I suppose he is still the same dear； stupid； shiftless fellow？ He left here with the intention of travelling round the world； and he has stopped in New York！ How like him！〃
〃Do you know Lord Wisbeach？〃 demanded Mrs。 Pett。
Mrs。 Crocker raised her eyebrows。
〃Know him？ Why； I suppose； after Lord Percy Whipple； he is James' most intimate friend！〃
Mrs。 Pett rose。 She was dignified even in defeat。 She collected Ogden and Mr。 Pett with an eye which even Ogden could see was not to be trifled with。 She uttered no word。
〃Must you really go？〃 said Mrs。 Crocker。 〃It was sweet of you to bother to e all the way from America like this。 So strange to meet any one from America nowadays。 Most extraordinary！〃
The cortege left the room in silence。 Mrs。 Crocker had touched the bell； but the mourners did not wait for the arrival of Bayliss。 They were in no mood for the formalities of polite Society。 They wanted to be elsewhere； and they wanted to be there quick。 The front door had closed behind them before the butler reached the morning…room。
〃Bayliss；〃 said Mrs。 Crocker with happy； shining face； 〃send for the car to e round at once。〃
〃Very good； madam。〃
〃Is Mr。 James up yet？〃
〃I believe not； madam。〃
Mrs。 Crocker went upstairs to her room。 If Bayliss had not been within earshot； she would probably have sung a bar or two。 Her amiability extended even to her step…son； though she had not altered her intention of speaking eloquently to him on certain matters when she could get hold of him。 That； however； could wait。 For the moment； she felt in vein for a gentle drive in the Park。
A few minutes after she had disappeared； there was a sound of slow footsteps on the stairs； and a young man came down into the hall。 Bayliss； who had finished telephoning to the garage for Mrs。 Crocker's limousine and was about to descend to those lower depths where he had his being； turned； and a grave smile of wele played over his face。
〃Good morning； Mr。 James；〃 he said。
CHAPTER IV
JIMMY'S DISTURBING NEWS
JIMMY CROCKER was a tall and well…knit young man who later on in the day would no doubt be at least passably good…looking。 At the moment an unbeing pallor marred his face； and beneath his eyes were marks that suggested that he had slept little and ill。 He stood at the foot of the stairs； yawning cavernously。
〃Bayliss；〃 he said； 〃have you been painting yourself yellow？〃
〃No； sir。〃
〃Strange！ Your face looks a bright gamboge to me； and your outlines wobble。 Bayliss； never mix your drinks。 I say this to you as a friend。 Is there any one in the morning…room？〃
〃No； Mr。 James。〃
〃Speak softly； Bayliss； for I am not well。 I am conscious of a strange weakness。 Lead me to the morning…room； then； and lay me gently on a sofa。 These are the times that try men's souls。〃
The sun was now shining strongly through the windows of the morning…room。 Bayliss lowered the shades。 Jimmy Crocker sank onto the sofa； and closed his eyes。
〃Bayliss。〃
〃Sir？〃
〃A conviction is stealing over me that I am about to expire。〃
〃Shall I bring you a little breakfast； Mr。 James？〃
A strong shudder shook Jimmy。
〃Don't be flippant； Bayliss；〃 he protested。 〃Try to cure yourself of this passion for being funny at the wrong time。 Your edy is good； but tact is a finer quality than humour。 Perhaps you think I have forgotten that morning when I was feeling just as I do to…day and you came to my bedside and asked me if I would like a nice rasher of ham。 I haven't and I never shall。 You may bring me a brandy…and…soda。 Not a large one。 A couple of bath…tubs full will be enough。〃
〃Very good； Mr。 James。〃
〃And now leave me； Bayliss； for I would be alone。 I have to make a series of difficult and exhaustive tests to ascertain whether I am still alive。〃
When the butler had gone； Jimmy adjusted the cushions； closed his eyes； and remained for a space in a state of a。 He was trying； as well as an exceedingly severe headache would permit； to recall the salient events of the previous night。 At present his memories refused to solidify。 They poured about in his brain in a fluid and formless condition； exasperating to one who sought for hard facts。
It seemed strange to Jimmy that the shadowy and inchoate vision of a bat； a fight； a brawl of some kind persisted in flitting about in the recesses of his mind； always just far enough away to elude capture。 The absurdity of the thing annoyed him。 A man has either indulged in a fight overnight or he has not indulged in a fight overnight。 There can be no middle course。 That he should be uncertain on the point was ridiculous。 Yet； try as he would； he could not be sure。 There were moments when he seemed on the very verge of settling the matter； and then some invisible person would meanly insert a red…hot corkscrew in the top of his head and begin to twist it； and this would interfere with calm thought。 He was still in a state of uncertainty when Bayliss returned； bearing healing liquids on a tray。
〃Shall I set it beside you； sir？〃
Jimmy opened one eye。
〃Indubitably。 No mean word； that； Bayliss； for the morning after。 Try it yourself next time。 Bayliss； who let me in this morning？〃
〃Let you in； sir？〃
〃Precisely。 I was out and now I am in。 Obviously I must have passed the front door somehow。 This is logic。〃
〃I fancy you let yourself in； Mr。 James； with your key。〃
〃That would seem to indicate that I was in a state of icy sobriety。 Yet； if such is the case； how is it that I can't remember whether I murdered somebody or not last night？ It isn't the sort of thing your sober man would lightly forget。 Have you ever murdered anybody； Bayliss？〃
〃No； sir。〃
〃Well； if you had； you would remember it next morning？〃
〃I imagine so； Mr。 James。〃
〃Well； it's a funny thing； but I can't get rid of the impression that at some point in my researches into the night life of London yestreen I fell upon some person to whom I had never been introduced and mitted mayhem upon his person。〃
It seemed to Bayliss that the time had e to impart to Mr。 James a piece of news which he had supposed would require no imparting。 He looked down upon his young master's recumbent form with a grave miseration。 It was true that he had never been able to tell with any certainty whether Mr。 James intended the statements he made to be taken literally or not； but on the present occasion he seemed to have spoken seriously and to be genuinely at a loss to recall an episode over the printed report of which the entire domestic staff had been gloating ever since the arrival of the halfpenny morning paper to which they subscribed。
〃Do you really mean it； Mr。 James？〃 he enquired cautiously。
〃Mean what？〃
〃You have really forgotten that you were engaged in a fracas last night at the Six Hundred Club？〃
Jimmy sat up with a jerk； staring at this