His pulses quickened at the notice that this new departure implied constant association with Evelyn Forbes.

Yet, what did it avail?
Why should he dream of fanning into a fiercer fury the flame of his love?
As matters stood, he had about as much chance of marrying Evelyn Forbes as of becoming Emperor of China! The incongruity of the situation was illustrated with cruel accuracy by the fact that he could ill afford the stoppage of his work demanded by the present trend of events.

He earned what might be regarded as a good income by his pen, but his expenses were not light, and he had deemed himself fortunate the previous year when he was able to invest a hundred pounds! As a matter of fact, the interest on his "securities" paid for his gloves and ties; another lucky year might see him provided for life with boots and socks! He pictured himself--if he were idiot enough, when all this turmoil was ended, to pose as a suitor for Evelyn Forbes's hand--explaining his financial position to the millionaire, and wilting under the scornful amusement in those earnest, deep-seeing eyes.

Phew! He grew hot at the mere notion of such folly.
Little wonder, therefore, that the driver of the taxi should gaze quizzically after Theydon's alert figure as it vanished in the stairway of Innesmore Mansions.
"Got the hump, an' pretty bad," soliloquized the man.

"Gimme a bob over the fare, an' all, so can't be stony.