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〃It's quite demoralising； typing aunt Nesta's stories；〃 she said。 〃They put ideas into one's head。〃
Mr。 Pett said nothing。 He was reading an article of medical interest in the magazine section； for he was a man who ploughed steadily through his Sunday paper； omitting nothing。 The typewriter began tapping again。
〃Great Godfrey！〃
Ann swung round； and gazed at her uncle in concern。 He was staring blankly at the paper。
〃What's the matter？〃
The page on which Mr。 Pett's attention was concentrated was decorated with a fanciful picture in bold lines of a young man in evening dress pursuing a young woman similarly clad along what appeared to be a restaurant supper…table。 An enjoyable time was apparently being had by both。 Across the page this legend ran：
PICCADILLY JIM ONCE MORE
The Recent Adventures of Young Mr。 Crocker
of New York and London
It was not upon the title； however； nor upon the illustration that Mr。 Pett's fascinated eye rested。 What he was looking at was a small reproduction of a photograph which had been inserted in the body of the article。 It was the photograph of a woman in the early forties； rather formidably handsome； beneath which were printed the words：
Mrs。 Nesta Ford Pett
Well…Known Society Leader and Authoress
Ann had risen and was peering over his shoulder。 She frowned as she caught sight of the heading of the page。 Then her eye fell upon the photograph。
〃Good gracious！ Why have they got aunt Nesta's picture there？〃
Mr。 Pett breathed a deep and gloomy breath。
〃They've found out she's his aunt。 I was afraid they would。 I don't know what she will say when she sees this。〃
〃Don't let her see it。〃
〃She has the paper downstairs。 She's probably reading it now。〃
Ann was glancing through the article。
〃It seems to be much the same sort of thing that they have published before。 I can't understand why the Chronicle takes such an interest in Jimmy Crocker。〃
〃Well； you see he used to be a newspaper man； and the Chronicle was the paper he worked for。〃
Ann flushed。
〃I know；〃 she said shortly。
Something in her tone arrested Mr。 Pett's attention。
〃Yes； yes； of course；〃 he said hastily。 〃I was forgetting。〃
There was an awkward silence。 Mr。 Pett coughed。 The matter of young Mr。 Crocker's erstwhile connection with the New York Chronicle was one which they had tacitly decided to refrain from mentioning。
〃I didn't know he was your nephew； uncle Peter。〃
〃Nephew by marriage；〃 corrected Mr。 Pett a little hurriedly。 〃Nesta's sister Eugenia married his father。〃
〃I suppose that makes me a sort of cousin。〃
〃A distant cousin。〃
〃It can't be too distant for me。〃
There was a sound of hurried footsteps outside the door。 Mrs。 Pett entered； holding a paper in her hand。 She waved it before Mr。 Pett's sympathetic face。
〃I know； my dear；〃 he said backing。 〃Ann and I were just talking about it。〃
The little photograph had not done Mrs。 Pett justice。 Seen life…size； she was both handsomer and more formidable than she appeared in reproduction。 She was a large woman； with a fine figure and bold and pelling eyes； and her personality crashed disturbingly into the quiet atmosphere of the room。 She was the type of woman whom small； diffident men seem to marry instinctively； as unable to help themselves as cockleshell boats sucked into a maelstrom。
〃What are you going to do about it？〃 she demanded； sinking heavily into the chair which her husband had vacated。
This was an aspect of the matter which had not occurred to Mr。 Pett。 He had not contemplated the possibility of actually doing anything。 Nature had made him out of office hours essentially a passive organism； and it was his tendency； when he found himself in a sea of troubles； to float plaintively； not to take arms against it。 To pick up the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune and fling them back was not a habit of his。 He scratched his chin and said nothing。 He went on saying nothing。
〃If Eugenia had had any sense； she would have foreseen what would happen if she took the boy away from New York where he was working too hard to get into mischief and let him run loose in London with too much money and nothing to do。 But； if she had had any sense； she would never have married that impossible Crocker man。 As I told her。〃
Mrs。 Pett paused； and her eyes glowed with reminiscent fire。 She was recalling the scene which had taken place three years ago between her sister and herself； when Eugenia had told her of her intention to marry an obscure and middle…aged actor named Bingley Crocker。 Mrs。 Pett had never seen Bingley Crocker； but she had condemned the proposed match in terms which had ended definitely and forever her relations with her sister。 Eugenia was not a woman who weled criticism of her actions。 She was cast in the same formidable mould as Mrs。 Pett and resembled her strikingly both in appearance and character。
Mrs。 Pett returned to the present。 The past could look after itself。 The present demanded surgery。
〃One would have thought it would have been obvious even to Eugenia that a boy of twenty…one needed regular work。〃
Mr。 Pett was glad to e out of his shell here。 He was the Apostle of Work； and this sentiment pleased him。
〃That's right；〃 he said。 〃Every boy ought to have work。〃
〃Look at this young Crocker's record since he went to live in London。 He is always doing something to make himself notorious。 There was that breach…of…promise case； and that fight at the political meeting； and his escapades at Monte Carlo； andand everything。 And he must be drinking himself to death。 I think Eugenia's insane。 She seems to have no influence over him at all。〃
Mr。 Pett moaned sympathetically。
〃And now the papers have found out that I am his aunt； and I suppose they will print my photograph whenever they publish an article about him。〃
She ceased and sat rigid with just wrath。 Mr。 Pett； who always felt his responsibilities as chorus keenly during these wifely monologues； surmised that a remark from him was indicated。
〃It's tough；〃 he said。
Mrs。 Pett turned on him like a wounded tigress。
〃What is the use of saying that？ It's no use saying anything。〃
〃No； no；〃 said Mr。 Pett； prudently refraining from pointing out that she had already said a good deal。
〃You must do something。〃
Ann entered the conversation for the first time。 She was not very fond of her aunt； and liked her least when she was bullying Mr。 Pett。 There was something in Mrs。 Pett's character with which the imperiousness which lay beneath Ann's cheerful attitude towards the world was ever at war。
〃What can uncle Peter possibly do？〃 she inquired。
〃Why； get the boy back to America and make him work。 It's the only possible thing。〃
〃But is it possible？〃
〃Of course it is。〃
〃Assuming that Jimmy Crocker would accept an invitation to e over to America； what sort of work could he do here？ He couldn't get his place on the Chronicle back again after dropping out for all these years and making a public pest of himself all that while。 And outside of newspaper work what is he fit for？〃
〃My dear child； don't make difficulties。〃
〃I'm not。 These are ready…made。〃
Mr。 Pett interposed。 He was always nervously apprehensive of a clash between these two。 Ann had red hair and the nature which generally goes with red hair。 She was impulsive and quick of tongue； andas he remembered her father had always beena little too ready for bat。 She was usually as quickly remorseful as she was quickly pugnacious； like most persons of her colour。 Her offer to type the story which now lay on her desk had been the amende honourable following on just such a scene with her aunt as this promised to be。 Mr。 Pett had no wish to see the truce this consummated broken almost before it had had time to operate。
〃I could give the boy a job in my office；〃 he suggested。
Giving young men jobs in his office was what Mr。 Pett liked doing best。 There were six brilliant youths living in his house and bursting with his food at that very moment whom he would have been delighted to start addressing envelopes down…town。
Notably his wife's nephew； Willie Partridge； whom he looked on as a specious loafer。 He had a stubborn disbelief in the explosive that was to revolutionise war。 He knew； as all the world did； that Willie's late father had been a great inventor； but he did not accept the fact that Willie had inherited the dead man's genius。 He regarded the experiments on Partridgite； as it was to be called； with the profoundest scepticism； and considered that the only thing Willie had ever invented or was likely to invent was a series of ingenious schemes for living in fatted idleness on other people's money。
〃Exactly；〃 said Mrs。 Pett； delighted at the suggestion。 〃The very thing。〃
〃Will you write and suggest it？〃 said Mr。 Pett； basking in the sunshine of unwonted mendation。
〃What would be the use of writing？ Eugenia would pay no attention。 Besides； I could not say all I wished to in a letter。 No； the only thing is to go over to England and see her。 I shall speak very plainly to her。 I shall point out what an advantage it will be to the boy to be in your office and to live here。 。 。 。〃
Ann started。
〃You don't mean live herein th