Piccadilly Jim

asses, dived into the jungle again, came out with a handkerchief, polished the spectacles, put them on his n

y the coyness?" enquired Jimmy,

sting my gl

set

l I read the he

everyt

cleared h

s," moaned Jimmy, sta

heart!

began

FASHIONABL

F NOBILI

d his eyes,

prig of n

the paper

nd learn.

o clear his throat,

INTERNATIO

LING

gla

LON

eri

IPTION BY

y sa

istorted sense of humour of yours

Very large

y gr

per men. It all comes back to me. Out of pure kindness of heart I took young Bill Blake of the Sun to supper at t

I go on

less. Let m

they read. At the church which he attended on Sundays, of which he was one of the most influential and respected members, children would turn pale and snuggle up to their mothers when Bayliss read the lessons.

ts of the season was being pulled off at the Six Hundred Club in Regent Street, where, after three rounds of fast exchanges, James B. Crocker, the well-known American welter-weight scrapper, succeeded in stopping Lord Percy Whipple, s

ith a disputed table, which each gladiator claime

yed words proving fruitless, I soaked him on the jaw. It may be that I was not wholly myself. I seem to rememb

e, Cyclone Jim struck Battling Percy on what our rude forefathers w

UND

t in a rapid one-two punch which opened a large gash in the atmosphere. Both men sparred cautiously, being hampered in their movements by the fact, which neither had at this stage of the proceedings perceived, that they were on op

UND

ith a right to the chin. Percy swung wildly and upset a bottle of champagne on a neighbouring table. A good rall

ND T

effectively. The Battler fell into a clinch, but the Cyclone broke away and, measurin

ighting three twin-brothers, and I missed several opportunities of putting over the winning wallop by attacking the outside ones. It was only in the second round that I decided to concentra

and silence fe

that

is all

bout e

true

u never know what is waiting for you round the corner. You start the day with the fairest prospects, and befor

dn't sa

d I come back all blue with the blood of the aristocracy. We now come to a ser

not, Mr

base these wor

not read the half

eat. I think the merest prudence suggests that I keep out of the way for the time being, lest I be fallen upon and questioned. I am not equal

e brought round at once. It should be here at any moment now, sir

lunchi

s,

baying of the eel-hounds and remains in that position till the danger is past, I shall be able to postpone an interview. Should you be questioned as to my wh

ood, Mr

father's den. A man may lie hid t

where his father, in a deep arm-chair, was smoking a restful pipe and reading

es; for, as he sometimes observed to his son, it had the distinction of being the only room on the ground floor where a fellow could move without stubbing his toe on a countess or an honourable. In this peaceful backwater he

immy took the other arm-chair, and began to smoke silently. It was the unwritten law of the den that soothing silence rather tha

I want to t

You have

ious

you the fact that I am a sick man. Last

llon lunch at the Carlton. You oughtn't to have taken him there, Jimmy. That's what got her goat. She was

Spike's half-scissors hoo

speak to you about it. I

ad. But wa

ll

o speak to me about? Sure

anything about

doesn't kn

me down from the mant

en't been raisi

d Young Patrician stuff, the sort of thing

was not to b

're going on. Lord knows I wouldn't care if things were different, but I'll tell you exactly how I stand. I didn't get wise till this morning. Your stepmother sprang it on me suddenly. I've often w

ha

at. And

be? This title business is all so complicated. I know I should have to change my name to Hon. Rollo Cholmon

u would have the title after me and naturally they don't want to get stung. I gathered all that from your stepmother. Say,

if it kills me.

friend Lady Corstor

man with a headache to follow. I ho

th this boy. You see, his father is in right with the Premier and

ying kiss-in-the-ring with him. The whole force of my sunny persona

ercy Wh

e fell with

eflect! You know you don't seri

E

hing hand on his

t his block off! How it started, except that we both wanted the same table, I couldn't say. 'Why, that I cannot tell,' said he, 'but 'twas a famous victory!' If I had known, dad, nothing would have induced me

cement of his ruin has upon the Good Old Man in melodrama. He sat clutching the arms of his c

struck, like himself, by the odd and pleasing coincidence of his having picked on for purposes of assault and battery the one young man with whom his stepmother wished him to form a firm and lasting friendship. He perceived now that his father was seriously upset. Neither Jimmy nor Mr. Crocker possessed a d

t for a million dollars if I'd known. Isn't there anything I can do? Gee whiz! I'll go right roun

roused Mr. Crocke

She wants to put one over on her sister. That's all that's troubling me, the thought that this affair will set us back, this Lord Percy being in so strong with the guys who give the titles. I guess i

down the little room. Re

damned f

t's unfortunate, but

uldn't

to be all right. I'll fix it. I'm going right round to this fellow Percy now to make things all right. I won't