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ast place he had had in his mind when he had left the steamship pany's offices in quest of lunch。 He had intended to seek out some quiet； restful nook where he could be alone with his thoughts。 If anybody had told him then that five minutes later he would be placing himself of his own free will within the range of a restaurant orchestra playing 〃My Little Grey Home in the West〃and the orchestra at the Regent played little elsehe would not have believed him。
Restaurants in all large cities have their ups and downs。 At this time the Regent Grill was enjoying one of those bursts of popularity for which restaurateurs pray to whatever strange gods they worship。 The more prosperous section of London's Bohemia flocked to it daily。 When Jimmy had deposited his hat with the robber…band who had their cave just inside the main entrance and had entered the grill…room； he found it congested。 There did not appear to be a single unoccupied table。
From where he stood he could see the girl of the red…gold hair。 Her back was towards him； and she was sitting at a table against one of the pillars with a little man with eye…glasses； a handsome woman in the forties； and a small stout boy who was skirmishing with the olives。 As Jimmy hesitated； the vigilant head…waiter； who knew him well； perceived him； and hurried up。
〃In one moment； Mister Crockaire！〃 he said； and began to scatter mands among the underlings。 〃I will place a table for you in the aisle。〃
〃Next to that pillar； please；〃 said Jimmy。
The underlings had produced a small tableapparently from up their sleeves； and were draping it in a cloth。 Jimmy sat down and gave his order。 Ordering was going on at the other table。 The little man seemed depressed at the discovery that corn on the cob and soft…shelled crabs were not to be obtained； and his wife's reception of the news that clams were not included in the Regent's bill…of…fair was so indignant that one would have said that she regarded the fact as evidence that Great Britain was going to pieces and would shortly lose her place as a world power。
A selection having finally been agreed upon； the orchestra struck up 〃My Little Grey Home in the West；〃 and no attempt was made to pete with it。 When the last lingering strains had died away and the violinist…leader； having straightened out the kinks in his person which the rendition of the melody never failed to produce； had bowed for the last time； a clear； musical voice spoke from the other side of the pillar。
〃Jimmy Crocker is a worm！〃
Jimmy spilled his cocktail。 It might have been the voice of Conscience。
〃I despise him more than any one on earth。 I hate to think that he's an American。〃
Jimmy drank the few drops that remained in his glass； partly to make sure of them； partly as a restorative。 It is an unnerving thing to be despised by a red…haired girl whose life you have just saved。 To Jimmy it was not only unnerving； it was uncanny。 This girl had not known him when they met on the street a few moments before。 How then was she able to display such intimate acquaintance with his character now as to describe himjustly enoughas a worm？ Mingled with the mystery of the thing was its pathos。 The thought that a girl could be as pretty as this one and yet dislike him so much was one of the saddest things Jimmy had ever e across。 It was like one of those Things Which Make Me Weep In This Great City so dear to the hearts of the sob…writers of his late newspaper。
A waiter bustled up with a high…ball。 Jimmy thanked him with his eyes。 He needed it。 He raised it to his lips。
〃He's always drinking〃
He set it down hurriedly。
〃and making a disgraceful exhibition of himself in public！ I always think Jimmy Crocker〃
Jimmy began to wish that somebody would stop this girl。 Why couldn't the little man change the subject to the weather； or that stout child start prattling about some general topic？ Surely a boy of that age； newly arrived in London； must have all sorts of things to prattle about？ But the little man was dealing strenuously with a breaded cutlet； while the stout boy； grimly silent； surrounded fish…pie in the forthright manner of a starving python。 As for the elder woman； she seemed to be wrestling with unpleasant thoughts； beyond speech。
〃I always think that Jimmy Crocker is the worst case I know of the kind of American young man who spends all his time in Europe and tries to bee an imitation Englishman。 Most of them are the sort any country would be glad to get rid of； but he used to work once； so you can't excuse him on the ground that he hasn't the sense to know what he's doing。 He's deliberately chosen to loaf about London and make a pest of himself。 He went to pieces with his eyes open。 He's a perfect； utter； hopeless WORM！〃
Jimmy had never been very fond of the orchestra at the Regent Grill； holding the view that it interfered with conversation and made for an unhygienic rapidity of mastication； but he was profoundly grateful to it now for bursting suddenly into La Boheme； the loudest item in its repertory。 Under cover of that protective din he was able to toy with a steaming dish which his waiter had brought。 Probably that girl was saying all sorts of things about him still but he could not hear them。
The music died away。 For a moment the tortured air quivered in parative silence； then the girl's voice spoke again。 She had； however； selected another topic of conversation。
〃I've seen all I want to of England；〃 she said； 〃I've seen Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament and His Majesty's Theatre and the Savoy and the Cheshire Cheese； and I've developed a frightful home…sickness。 Why shouldn't we go back to…morrow？〃
For the first time in the proceedings the elder woman spoke。 She cast aside her mantle of gloom long enough to say 〃Yes；〃 then wrapped it round her again。 The little man； who had apparently been waiting for her vote before giving his own； said that the sooner he was on board a New York…bound boat the better he would be pleased。 The stout boy said nothing。 He had finished his fish…pie； and was now attacking jam roll with a sort 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 s