He laughed, without a trace of sensitiveness. "I have been having rather a day of it," he admitted. "But I say, Edith, if you won't come to supper, I think you might let a fellow--" She drew back into her corner. "Mr. Burton," she said, "you must please not come near me." "But I want a kiss," he protested. "You'd have given me one the other night. You'd have given me as many as I'd liked. You almost clung to me--that night under the cedar tree." Her eyes for a moment were half closed. "It was a different world then," she whispered softly. "It was a different Mr. Burton. You see, since then a curtain has come down. We are starting a fresh act and I don't think I know you quite so well as I did." "Sounds like tommyrot," he grumbled. The taxicab came to a standstill. The man got down and opened the door. Burton half sulkily stepped out on to the pavement. "Well, here you are," he announced. "Can't say that I think much of you this evening." She held out her hand. They were standing on the pavement now, in the light of a gas-lamp, and with the chauffeur close at hand. She was not in the least afraid but there was a lump in her throat. He looked so very common, so far away from those little memories with which she must grapple! "Mr. Burton," she said, "good-night! I want to thank you for this evening and I want to ask you to promise that if ever you are sorry because I persuaded you to sell those little beans, you will forgive me. It was a very wonderful thing, you know, and I didn't understand. Perhaps I was wrong." "Don't you worry," he answered, cheerfully. "That's all right, anyway. It's jolly well the best thing I ever did in my life. Got my pockets full of money already, and I mean to have a thundering good time with it. No fear of my ever blaming you. Good-night, Miss Edith! My regards to the governor and tell him I am all on for Menatogen." He gave his hat a little twist and stepped back into the taxi. "I will give my father your message," she told him, as the door opened to receive her. "Righto!" Burton replied. "Leicester Square, cabby!" CHAPTER XXIX RICHES AND REPENTANCE There was considerable excitement in Laurence Avenue when a few mornings later Mr. Alfred Burton, in a perfectly appointed motor-car, drew up before the door of Clematis Villa. In a very leisurely manner he descended and stood looking around him for a moment in the front garden. "Poky little place," he said half to himself, having completed a disparaging survey. "Hullo, Johnson! How are you?"