"I can't. Oh, I couldn't," she faltered. "Oh, I should be afraid----" "Afraid!" He regarded her in amazement, and then, suddenly aware of the tears in her eyes, he added: "Very well--I'll give you ten--is that better? And will that buy a frock?" She laughed tremulously. "Why, it will buy us all one--me and the twins--and lots of other things besides!" She gathered up the money with shaking fingers. She was sure that she was dreaming. Even the touch of the crisp banknotes seemed unreal! What would her mother say? What would Peg say? Her head was in a whirl. "I think I'll drive you back home now," the Beggar Man said, suddenly. "Your mother will be wondering where you are." He spoke to the driver, and the taxi turned about. The Beggar Man was sitting opposite to Faith now. He kept looking at her in a queer, nervous sort of way. Suddenly he said in his abrupt manner: "Do you mind if--if I kiss you?" She raised her brown eyes. "If you kiss--me!" She echoed the words with fluttering incredulity. "Oh, no, of course not--if you really want to." "Thank you." He leaned across and kissed her cheek awkwardly. There was a little silence, then he said, angrily: "Of course, some people would call me an absolute blackguard!" She looked at him in amazement. "Why, what do you mean?" He explained disjointedly. "You're such a child--and I'm nearly twenty years older than you are. You don't realize what you're doing--marrying me. I may make your life miserable." She smiled serenely. "You couldn't! How could you? I'm going to be ever so happy." She drew a long breath of rapture. "It's just like a novelette," she said again fervently. The Beggar Man frowned. He let the window down with a run; the rain had almost stopped. "I think we're quite near your home," he said. "Perhaps you would rather walk the rest of the way? Or shall I come in and see your mother?" Faith started up. "Oh, no--I'll walk; I'd much rather." The taxi stopped and the man got out. "Well--good-bye. Till to-morrow," he said. She looked up eagerly. "Oh, shall I see you again to-morrow?" "I'll meet you outside Heeler's in the evening." She looked like a delighted child. "That will be three days running that I've seen you," she said. He smiled rather grimly. "You'll have to see me all day and every day after Saturday," he answered. CHAPTER III "Idling again! That's the third time I've had to speak to you this morning." Miss Dell's harsh voice woke Faith from the day-dream, into which she had fallen over her machine, and set her hurriedly working again. That the events of yesterday were unreal she was still convinced. A hundred times since she parted from Nicholas Forrester she had put her hand into the little bag containing the money he had given her, which she wore hidden under her frock. That was real enough, at all events. She was too awed by its possession to think of spending it. It seemed to her ignorance that all the wealth of the world was hers.