The conversation between the warden and Jimmy Valentine on the day of his release from prison is a justification for the title as Jimmy demonstrates no indication of having been reformed.
Having been sent to jail for cracking safes, Jimmy denies this crime when the warden urges him to reform: "Why, I never cracked a safe in my life." He is only released early because he has "many friends on the outside," friends who are apparently very influential. When the warden sarcastically asks him how such an "innocent victim" as he has been sent to the prison, Jimmy again lies, "Why, warden, I never was in Springfield in my life!"
So, once he is released, Jimmy, not surprisingly returns to his old rooming house where he pulls out the folding bed and pulls back a panel in the wall. Then, he finds untouched his dust-covered suitcase in which there are all the tools of a professional burglar and safe cracker. It is not long, then, before Jimmy is back in practice. Detective Ben Price who made the arrest of Jimmy is called in to investigate the burglaries. "That's Dandy Jim Valentine's autograph," he remarks. "He's resumed business."
It is only when Jimmy travels to a small town in Arkansas that he thinks of reforming. For, he falls in love with Annabel Adams, the daughter of the owner of the Elmore bank. Abandoning crime, Jimmy prepares to give his tools to an associate, but on the day he carries them out to put on the train, Annabel asks him to come into the bank and view the new safe. Unbeknownst to her parents, little May inadvertently locks herself into the safe.
"There isn't a man nearer than Little Rock who can open that door," said Mr. Adams, in a shaky voice. "My God! Spencer, what shall we do? That child--she can't stand it long in there. There isn't enough air..."
Ironically, Anna asks Jimmy (known as Ralph) if he cannot do something. He looks as her with an odd "soft smile on his lips and in his keen eyes." He takes off his coat and his new persona, as well. "Ralph D. Spencer passed away and Jimmy Valentine took his place."
As Jimmy works, the others stare in amazement. but little Agatha is freed and gathered up by her elated mother. Jimmy quietly dons his coat and walks into the lobby. He hears a voice call "Ralph!" but he keeps walking until a large man stops him in the doorway.
"Hello, Ben," Jimmy says, adding, "Well let's go." However, Ben Price feigns lack of recognition: "Don't believe I recognize you. Your buggy's waiting for you, ain't it?"
Jimmy Valentine retrieves his reformation that he has earlier rejected when urged upon him by the warden.
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