It was not often that Ann found occasion to rejoice at thepresence in her uncle's house of the six geniuses whom Mrs. Petthad installed therein. As a rule, she disliked them individuallyand collectively. But to-day their company was extraordinarilywelcome to her. They might have their faults, but at least theirpresence tended to keep the conversation general and prevent itbecoming a duologue between Lord Wisbeach and Jimmy on thesubject of old times. She was still feeling weak from thereaction consequent upon the slackening of the tension of heremotions on seeing Lord Wisbeach greet Jimmy as an oldacquaintance. She had never hoped that that barrier would besurmounted. She had pictured Lord Wisbeach drawing back with apuzzled frown on his face and an astonished "But this is notJimmy Crocker." The strain had left her relieved, but in no moodfor conversation, and she replied absently to the remarks ofHoward Bemis, the poet, who sat on her left. She looked round thetable. Willie Partridge was talking to Mrs. Pett about thedifference between picric acid and trinitrotoluene, than which apleasanter topic for the luncheon table could hardly be selected,and the voice of Clarence Renshaw rose above all other competingnoises, as he spoke of the functions of the trochaic spondee.

　　There was nothing outwardly to distinguish this meal from anyother which she had shared of late in that house.

　　The only thing that prevented her relief being unmixed was thefact that she could see Lord Wisbeach casting furtive glances atJimmy, who was eating with the quiet concentration of one who,after days of boarding-house fare, finds himself in the presenceof the masterpieces of a chef. In the past few days Jimmy hadconsumed too much hash to worry now about anything like a furtiveglance. He had perceived Lord Wisbeach's roving eye, and had nodoubt that at the conclusion of the meal he would find occasionfor a little chat. Meanwhile, however, his duty was towards histissues and their restoration. He helped himself liberally from adish which his father offered him.

　　He became aware that Mrs. Pett was addressing him.

　　"I beg your pardon?""Quite like old times," said Mrs. Pett genially. Her suspicionshad vanished completely since Lord Wisbeach's recognition of thevisitor, and remorse that she should have suspected him made herunwontedly amiable. "Being with Skinner again," she explained.

　　"It must remind you of London."Jimmy caught his father's expressionless eye.

　　"Skinner's," he said handsomely, "is a character one cannot helpbut respect. His nature expands before one like some beautifulflower."The dish rocked in Mr. Crocker's hand, but his face remainedimpassive.

　　"There is no vice in Skinner," proceeded Jimmy. "His heart is theheart of a little child."Mrs. Pett looked at this paragon of the virtues in rather astartled way. She had an uncomfortable feeling that she was beinglaughed at. She began to dislike Jimmy again.

　　"For many years Skinner has been a father to me," said Jimmy.

　　"Who ran to help me when I fell, And would some pretty storytell, Or kiss the place to make it well? Skinner."For all her suspense, Ann could not help warming towards anaccomplice who carried off an unnerving situation with such aflourish. She had always regarded herself with a fair degree ofcomplacency as possessed of no mean stock of courage andresource, but she could not have spoken then without betrayingher anxiety. She thought highly of Jimmy, but all the same shecould not help wishing that he would not make himself quite soconspicuous. Perhaps--the thought chilled her--perhaps he wascreating quite a new Jimmy Crocker, a character which would causeSkinner and Lord Wisbeach to doubt the evidence of their eyes andbegin to suspect the truth. She wished she could warn him tosimmer down, but the table was a large one and he and she were atopposite ends of it.

　　Jimmy, meanwhile, was thoroughly enjoying himself. He felt thathe was being the little ray of sunshine about the home and makinga good impression. He was completely happy. He liked the food, heliked seeing his father buttle, and he liked these amazing freakswho were, it appeared, fellow-inmates with him of this highlydesirable residence. He wished that old Mr. Pett could have beenpresent. He had conceived a great affection for Mr. Pett, andregistered a mental resolve to lose no time in weaning him fromhis distressing habit of allowing the office to interfere withhis pleasures. He was planning a little trip to the Polo Grounds,in which Mr. Pett, his father, and a number of pop bottles wereto be his companions, when his reverie was interrupted by asudden cessation of the buzz of talk. He looked up from hisplate, to find the entire company regarding Willie Partridgeopen-mouthed. Willie, with gleaming eyes, was gazing at a smalltest-tube which he had produced from his pocket and placed besidehis plate.

　　"I have enough in this test-tube," said Willie airily, "to blowhalf New York to bits."The silence was broken by a crash in the background. Mr. Crockerhad dropped a chafing-dish.

　　"If I were to drop this little tube like that," said Willie,using the occurrence as a topical illustration, "we shouldn't behere.""Don't drop it," advised Jimmy. "What is it?""Partridgite!"Mrs. Pett had risen from the table, with blanched face.

　　"Willie, how can you bring that stuff here? What are you thinkingof?"Willie smiles a patronising smile.

　　"There is not the slightest danger, aunt Nesta. It cannot explodewithout concussion. I have been carrying it about with me all themorning."He bestowed on the test-tube the look a fond parent might givehis favourite child. Mrs. Pett was not reassured.

　　"Go and put it in your uncle's safe at once. Put it away.""I haven't the combination.""Call your uncle up at once at the office and ask him.""Very well. If you wish it, aunt Nesta. But there is no danger.""Don't take that thing with you," screamed Mrs. Pett, as he rose.

　　"You might drop it. Come back for it.""Very well."Conversation flagged after Willie's departure. The presence ofthe test-tube seemed to act on the spirits of the company afterthe fashion of the corpse at the Egyptian banquet. Howard Bemis,who was sitting next to it, edged away imperceptibly till henearly crowded Ann off her chair. Presently Willie returned. Hepicked up the test-tube, put it in his pocket with a certainjauntiness, and left the room again.

　　"Now, if you hear a sudden bang and find yourself disappearingthrough the roof," said Jimmy, "that will be it."Willie returned and took his place at the table again. But thespirit had gone out of the gathering. The voice of ClarenceRenshaw was hushed, and Howard Bemis spoke no more of theinfluence of Edgar Lee Masters on modern literature. Mrs. Pettleft the room, followed by Ann. The geniuses drifted away one byone. Jimmy, having lighted a cigarette and finished his coffee,perceived that he was alone with his old friend, Lord Wisbeach,and that his old friend Lord Wisbeach was about to becomeconfidential.

　　The fair-haired young man opened th............