pgw.piccadillyjim-第33章

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　〃I'll　e　with　you　part　of　the　way；　uncle　Pete；〃　said　Jimmy。　〃I　have　to　go　and　arrange　for　my　things　to　be　expressed　here。〃
　〃Why　not　phone　to　the　hotel？〃　said　Mr。　Pett。　It　seemed　to　Jimmy　and　Ann　that　he　was　doing　this　sort　of　thing　on　purpose。　〃Which　hotel　did　you　leave　them　at？〃
　〃No；　I　shall　have　to　go　there。　I　have　some　packing　to　do。〃
　〃You　will　be　back　to　lunch？〃　said　Ann。
　〃Thanks。　I　shan't　be　gone　more　than　half　an　hour。〃
　For　a　moment　after　they　had　gone；　Ann　relaxed；　happy　and　relieved。　Everything　had　gone　splendidly。　Then　a　shock　ran　through　her　whole　system　as　Mrs。　Pett　spoke。　She　spoke　excitedly；　in　a　lowered　voice；　leaning　over　to　Ann。
　〃Ann！　Did　you　notice　anything？　Did　you　suspect　anything？〃
　Ann　mastered　her　emotion　with　an　effort。
　〃Whatever　do　you　mean；　aunt　Nesta？〃
　〃About　that　young　man；　who　calls　himself　Jimmy　Crocker。〃
　Ann　clutched　the　side　of　the　chair。
　〃Who　calls　himself　Jimmy　Crocker？　I　don't　understand。〃
　Ann　tried　to　laugh。　It　seemed　to　her　an　age　before　she　produced　any　sound　at　all；　and　when　it　came　it　was　quite　unlike　a　laugh。
　〃What　put　that　idea　into　your　head？　Surely；　if　he　says　he　is　Jimmy　Crocker；　it's　rather　absurd　to　doubt　him；　isn't　it？　How　could　anybody　except　Jimmy　Crocker　know　that　you　were　anxious　to　get　Jimmy　Crocker　over　here？　You　didn't　tell　any　one；　did　you？〃
　This　reasoning　shook　Mrs。　Pett　a　little；　but　she　did　not　intend　to　abandon　a　perfectly　good　suspicion　merely　because　it　began　to　seem　unreasonable。
　〃They　have　their　spies　everywhere；〃　she　said　doggedly。
　〃Who　have？〃
　〃The　Secret　Service　people　from　other　countries。　Lord　Wisbeach　was　telling　me　about　it　yesterday。　He　said　that　I　ought　to　suspect　everybody。　He　said　that　an　attempt　might　be　made　on　Willie's　invention　at　any　moment　now。〃
　〃He　was　joking。〃
　〃He　was　not。　I　have　never　seen　any　one　so　serious。　He　said　that　I　ought　to　regard　every　fresh　person　who　came　into　the　house　as　a　possible　criminal。〃
　〃Well；　that　guy's　fresh　enough；〃　muttered　Ogden　from　the　settee。
　Mrs。　Pett　started。
　〃Ogden！　I　had　forgotten　that　you　were　there。〃　She　uttered　a　cry　of　horror；　as　the　fact　of　his　presence　started　a　new　train　of　thought。　〃Why；　this　man　may　have　e　to　kidnap　you！　I　never　thought　of　that。〃
　Ann　felt　it　time　to　intervene。　Mrs。　Pett　was　hovering　much　too　near　the　truth　for　fort。　〃You　mustn't　imagine　things；　aunt　Nesta。　I　believe　it　es　from　writing　the　sort　of　stories　you　do。　Surely；　it　is　impossible　for　this　man　to　be　an　impostor。　How　would　he　dare　take　such　a　risk？　He　must　know　that　you　could　detect　him　at　any　moment　by　cabling　over　to　Mrs。　Crocker　to　ask　if　her　step…son　was　really　in　America。〃
　It　was　a　bold　stroke；　for　it　suggested　a　plan　of　action　which；　if　followed；　would　mean　ruin　for　her　schemes；　but　Ann　could　not　refrain　from　chancing　it。　She　wanted　to　know　whether　her　aunt　had　any　intention　of　asking　Mrs。　Crocker　for　information；　or　whether　the　feud　was　too　bitter　for　her　pride　to　allow　her　to　municate　with　her　sister　in　any　way。　She　breathed　again　as　Mrs。　Pett　stiffened　grimly　in　her　chair。
　〃I　should　not　dream　of　cabling　to　Eugenia。〃
　〃I　quite　understand　that；〃　said　Ann。　〃But　an　impostor　would　not　know　that　you　felt　like　that；　would　he？〃
　〃I　see　what　you　mean。〃
　Ann　relaxed　again。　The　relief　was；　however；　only　momentary。
　〃I　cannot　understand；　though；〃　said　Mrs。　Pett；　〃why　your　uncle　should　have　been　so　positive　that　he　saw　this　young　man　on　the　Atlantic。〃
　〃Just　a　chance　resemblance；　I　suppose。　Why；　uncle　Peter　said　he　saw　the　man　whom　he　imagined　was　like　Jimmy　Crocker　talking　to　me。　If　there　had　been　any　real　resemblance；　shouldn't　I　have　seen　it　before　uncle　Peter？〃
　Assistance　came　from　an　unexpected　quarter。
　〃I　know　the　chap　uncle　Peter　meant；〃　said　Ogden。　〃He　wasn't　like　this　guy　at　all。〃
　Ann　was　too　grateful　for　the　help　to　feel　astonished　at　it。　Her　mind；　dwelling　for　a　mere　instant　on　the　matter；　decided　that　Ogden　must　have　seen　her　on　deck　with　somebody　else　than　Jimmy。　She　had　certainly　not　lacked　during　the　voyage　for　those　who　sought　her　society。
　Mrs。　Pett　seemed　to　be　impressed。
　〃I　may　be　letting　my　imagination　run　away　with　me；〃　she　said。
　〃Of　course　you　are；　aunt　Nesta；〃　said　Ann　thankfully。　〃You　don't　realise　what　a　vivid　imagination　you　have　got。　When　I　was　typing　that　last　story　of　yours；　I　was　simply　astounded　at　the　ideas　you　had　thought　of。　I　remember　saying　so　to　uncle　Peter。　You　can't　expect　to　have　a　wonderful　imagination　like　yours　and　not　imagine　things；　can　you？〃
　Mrs。　Pett　smiled　demurely。　She　looked　hopefully　at　her　niece；　waiting　for　more；　but　Ann　had　said　her　say。
　〃You　are　perfectly　right；　my　dear　child；〃　she　said　when　she　was　quite　sure　the　eulogy　was　not　to　be　resumed。　〃No　doubt　I　have　been　foolish　to　suspect　this　young　man。　But　Lord　Wisbeach's　words　naturally　acted　more　strongly　on　a　mind　like　mine　than　they　would　have　done　in　the　case　of　another　woman。〃
　〃Of　course；〃　said　Ann。
　She　was　feeling　quite　happy　now。　It　had　been　tense　while　it　had　lasted；　but　everything　was　all　right　now。
　〃And；　fortunately；〃　said　Mrs。　Pett；　〃there　is　a　way　by　which　we　can　find　out　for　certain　if　the　young　man　is　really　James　Crocker。〃
　Ann　became　rigid　again。
　〃A　way？　What　way？〃
　〃Why；　don't　you　remember；　my　dear；　that　Skinner　has　known　James　Crocker　for　years。〃
　〃Skinner？〃
　The　name　sounded　familiar；　but　in　the　stress　of　the　moment　Ann　could　not　identify　it。
　〃My　new　butler。　He　came　to　me　straight　from　Eugenia。　It　was　he　who　let　us　in　when　we　called　at　her　house。　Nobody　could　know　better　than　he　whether　this　person　is　really　James　Crocker　or　not。〃
　Ann　felt　as　if　she　had　struggled　to　the　limit　of　her　endurance。　She　was　not　prepared　to　cope　with　this　unexpected　blow。　She　had　not　the　strength　to　rally　under　it。　Dully　she　perceived　that　her　schemes　must　be　dismissed　as　a　failure　before　they　had　had　a　chance　of　success。　Her　acplice　must　not　return　to　the　house　to　be　exposed。　She　saw　that　clearly　enough。　If　he　came　back；　he　would　walk　straight　into　a　trap。　She　rose　quickly。　She　must　warn　him。　She　must　intercept　him　before　he　arrivedand　he　might　arrive　at　any　moment　now。
　〃Of　course；〃　she　said；　steadying　herself　with　an　effort；　〃I　never　thought　of　that。　That　makes　it　all　simple。　。　。　。　I　hope　lunch　won't　be　late。　I'm　hungry。〃
　She　sauntered　to　the　door；　but；　directly　she　had　closed　it　behind　her；　ran　to　her　room；　snatched　up　a　hat；　and　rushed　downstairs　and　out　into　Riverside　Drive。　Just　as　she　reached　the　street；　Jimmy　turned　the　corner。　She　ran　towards　him；　holding　up　her　hands。
　
　CHAPTER　XIV
　LORD　WISBEACH
　
　JIMMY　halted　in　his　tracks。　The　apparition　had　startled　him。　He　had　been　thinking　of　Ann；　but　he　had　not　expected　her　to　bound　out　at　him；　waving　her　arms。
　〃What's　the　matter？〃　he　enquired。
　Ann　pulled　him　towards　a　side…street。
　〃You　mustn't　go　to　the　house。　Everything　has　gone　wrong。〃
　〃Everything　gone　wrong？　I　thought　I　had　made　a　hit。　I　have　with　your　uncle；　anyway。　We　parted　on　the　friendliest　terms。　We　have　arranged　to　go　to　the　ball…game　together　to…morrow。　He　is　going　to　tell　them　at　the　office　that　Carnegie　wants　to　see　him。〃
　〃It　isn't　uncle　Peter。　It's　aunt　Nesta。〃
　〃Ah；　there　you　touch　my　conscience。　I　was　a　little　tactless；　I'm　afraid；　with　Ogden。　It　happened　before　you　came　into　the　room。　I　suppose　that　is　the　trouble？〃
　〃It　has　nothing　do　with　that；〃　said　Ann　impatiently。　〃It's　much　worse。　Aunt　Nesta　is　suspicious。　She　has　guessed　that　you　aren't　really　Jimmy　Crocker。〃
　〃Great　Scott！　How？〃
　〃I　tried　to　calm　her　down；　but　she　still　suspects。　So　now　she　has　decided　to　wait　and　see　if　Skinner；　the　butler；　knows　you。　If　he　doesn't；　she　will　know　that　she　was　right。〃
　Jimmy　was　frankly　puzzled。
　〃I　don't　quite　follow　the　reasoning。　Surely　it's　a　peculiar　kind　of　test。　Why　should　she　think　a　man　cannot　be　honest　and　true　unless　her　butler　knows　him？　There　must　be　hundreds　of　worthy　citizens　whom　he　does　not　know。〃
　〃Skinner　arrived　from　England　a　few　days　ago。　Until　then　he　was　employed　by　Mrs。　Crocker。　Now　do　you　understand？〃
　Jimmy　stopped。　She　had　spoken　slowly　and　distinctly；　and　there　could　be　no　possibility　that　he　had　misunderstood　her；　yet　he　scarcely　b