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〃I must be going。〃
〃We shall meet at Philippi。〃
He saw her to the door； and stood at the top of the steps watching her trim figure vanish into the dusk。 She passed from his sight。 Jimmy drew a deep breath； and； thinking hard； went down the passage to fortify himself with supper。
CHAPTER XII
JIMMY CATCHES THE BOSS'S EYE
WHEN Jimmy arrived at Mr。 Pett's office on Pine Street at ten…thirty the next morninghis expressed intention of getting up early enough to be there by nine having proved an empty boasthe was in a high state of preparedness。 He had made ready for what might be a trying interview by substituting a bination of well…chosen dishes at an expensive hotel for the less imaginative boarding…house breakfast with which he had of late been insulting his interior。 His suit was pressed； his shoes gleamed brightly； and his chin was smoothly shaven。 These things； bined with the perfection of the morning and that vague exhilaration which a fine day in down…town New York brings to the man who has not got to work； increased his natural optimism。 Something seemed to tell him that all would he well。 He would have been the last person to deny that his position was a little plicatedhe had to use a pencil and a sheet of paper to show himself just where he stoodbut what of that？ A few plications in life are an excellent tonic for the brain。 It was with a sunny geniality which startled that unaccustomed stripling considerablyand indeed caused him to swallow his chewing gumthat he handed in his card to Mr。 Pett's watchfully waiting office…boy。
〃This to the boss； my open…faced lad！〃 he said。 〃Get swiftly off the mark。〃
The boy departed dumbly。
From where he stood； outside the barrier which separated visitors to the office from the workers within； Jimmy could see a vista of efficient…looking young men with paper protectors round their cuffs working away at mysterious jobs which seemed to involve the use of a great deal of paper。 One in particular was so surrounded by it that he had the appearance of a bather in surf。 Jimmy eyed these toilers with a fortable and kindly eye。 All this industry made him feel happy。 He liked to think of this sort of thing going on all round him。
The office…boy returned。 〃This way； please。〃
The respectfulness of the lad's manner had increased noticeably。 Mr。 Pett's reception of the visitor's name had impressed him。 It was an odd fact that the financier； a cipher in his own home； could impress all sorts of people at the office。
To Mr。 Pett； the announcement that Mr。 James Crocker was waiting to see him had e like the announcement of a miracle。 Not a day had passed since their return to America without lamentations from Mrs。 Pett on the subject of their failure to secure the young man's person。 The occasion of Mrs。 Pett's reading of the article in the Sunday Chronicle descriptive of the Lord Percy Whipple affair had been unique in the little man's domestic history。 For the first time since he had known her the indomitable woman had pletely broken down。 Of all sad words of tongue or pen the saddest are these 〃It might have been！〃 and the thought that； if she had only happened to know it； she had had in her hands during that interview with her sister in London a weapon which would have turned defeat into triumph was more than even Mrs。 Pett's strong spirit could endure。 When she looked back on that scene and recalled the airy way in which Mrs。 Crocker had spoken of her step…son's 〃best friend； Lord Percy Whipple〃 and realised that at that very moment Lord Percy had been recovering in bed from the effects of his first meeting with Jimmy Crocker； the iron entered into her soul and she refused to be forted。 In the first instant of realisation she thought of six separate and distinct things she could have said to her sister； each more crushing than the lastthings which now she would never be able to say。
And now； suddenly and unaccountably； the means was at hand for restoring her to her tranquil self…esteem。 Jimmy Crocker； despite what his stepmother had said； probably in active defiance of her mands； had e to America after all。 Mr。 Pett's first thought was that his wife would； as he expressed it to himself； be 〃tickled to death about this。〃 Scarcely waiting for the office…boy to retire； he leaped towards Jimmy like a gambolling lamb and slapped him on the back with every evidence of joy and friendliness。
〃My dear boy！〃 he cried。 〃My dear boy！ I'm delighted to see you！〃
Jimmy was surprised； relieved； and pleased。 He had not expected this warmth。 A civil coldness had been the best he had looked for。 He had been given to understand that in the Pett home he was regarded as the black sheep： and； while one may admit a black sheep into the fold； it does not follow that one must of necessity fawn upon him。
〃You're very kind；〃 he said； rather startled。
They inspected each other for a brief moment。 Mr。 Pett was thinking that Jimmy was a great improvement on the picture his imagination had drawn of him。 He had looked for something tougher； something flashy and bloated。 Jimmy； for his part； had taken an instant liking to the financier。 He； too； had been misled by imagination。 He had always supposed that these millionaires down Wall Street way were keen； aggressive fellows； with gimlet eyes and sharp tongues。 On the boat he had only seen Mr。 Pett from afar； and had had no means of estimating his character。 He found him an agreeable little man。
〃We had given up all hope of your ing；〃 said Mr。 Pett。
A little manly penitence seemed to Jimmy to be in order。
〃I never expected you would receive me like this。 I thought I must have made myself rather unpopular。〃
Mr。 Pett buried the past with a gesture。 〃When did you land？〃 he asked。
〃This morning。 On the Caronia 。 。 。〃
〃Good passage？〃
〃Excellent。〃
There was a silence。 It seemed to Jimmy that Mr。 Pett was looking at him rather more closely than was necessary for the actual enjoyment of his style of beauty。 He was just about to throw out some light remark about the health of Mrs。 Pett or something about porpoises on the voyage to add local colour and verisimilitude； when his heart missed a beat； as he perceived that he had made a blunder。 Like many other amateur plotters； Ann and he had made the mistake of being too elaborate。 It had struck them as an ingenious idea for Jimmy to pretend that he has arrived that morning； and superficially it was a good idea： but he now remembered for the first time that； if he had seen Mr。 Pett on the Atlantic； the probability was that Mr。 Pett had seen him。 The next moment the other had confirmed this suspicion。
〃I've an idea I've seen you before。 Can't think where。〃
〃Everybody well at home？〃 said Jimmy。
〃I'm sure of it。〃
〃I'm looking forward to seeing them all。〃
〃I've seen you some place。〃
〃I'm often there。〃
〃Eh？〃
Mr。 Pett seemed to be turning this remark over in his mind a trifle suspiciously。 Jimmy changed the subject。
〃To a young man like myself；〃 he said； 〃with life opening out before him； there is something singularly stimulating in the sight of a modern office。 How busy those fellows seem！〃
〃Yes；〃 said Mr。 Pett。 〃Yes。〃 He was glad that this conversational note had been struck。 He was anxious to discuss the future with this young man。
〃Everybody works but father！〃 said Jimmy。
Mr。 Pett started。
〃Eh？〃
〃Nothing。〃
Mr。 Pett was vaguely ruffled。 He suspected insult； but could not pin it down。 He abandoned his cheeriness； however； and became the man of business。
〃I hope you intend to settle down； now that you are here； and work hard；〃 he said in the voice which he vainly tried to use on Ogden at home。
〃Work！〃 said Jimmy blankly。
〃I shall be able to make a place for you in my office。 That was my promise to your step…mother； and I shall fulfil it。〃
〃But wait a minute！ I don't get this！ Do you mean to put me to work？〃
〃Of course。 I take it that that was why you came over here； because you realised how you were wasting your life and wanted a chance of making good in my office。〃
A hot denial trembled on Jimmy's tongue。 Never had he been so misjudged。 And then the thought of Ann checked him。 He must do nothing that would interfere with Ann's plans。 Whatever the cost； he must conciliate this little man。 For a moment he mused sentimentally on Ann。 He hoped she would understand what he was going through for her sake。 To a man with his ingrained distaste for work in any shape the sight of those wage…slaves outside there in the outer office had； as he had told Mr。 Pett； been stimulating： but only because it filled him with a sort of spiritual uplift to think that he had not got to do that sort of thing。 Consider them in the light of fellow…workers； and the spectacle ceased to stimulate and became nauseating。 And for her sake he was about to bee one of them！ Had any knight of old ever done anything as big as that for his lady？ He very much doubted it。
〃All right；〃 he said。 〃Count me in。 I take it that I shall have a job like one of those out there？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Not presuming to dictate； I suggest that you give me something that will take some of the work off that fellow who's swimming in paper。 Only the tip of his nose was above the sur