go from site to site of the ruined cities of
Egypt. No one can imagine what treasures I may not discover. I shall
even go on to a part of Africa--but I need not weary you with this. I
simply wanted you to understand that the desire for wealth is not
necessarily vulgar."

Burton yawned slightly. His eyes sought once more the velvety shadows
which hung over the lawn. He wondered down which of those dim avenues
she had passed.

"I am so sorry," he said apologetically. "You are a man of business,
Mr. Bomford, and you, professor, see much further into life than I can,
but I do not wish to have anything whatever to do with your scheme. It
does not appeal to me in the least--in fact it offends me. It seems
crassly vulgar, a vulgar way of attaining to a position which I,
personally, should loathe."

He rose to his feet.

"If you will excuse me, professor," he said. Mr. Bomford, with a
greater show of vigor than he had previously displayed, jumped up and
laid his hand upon the young man's shoulder. His hard face seemed
suddenly to have become the rioting place for evil passions. His lips
were a little parted and his teeth showed unpleasantly.

"Do you mean, young man," he exclaimed, "that you refuse to join us?"

"That is what I intended to convey," Burton replied coldly.

"You refuse either to come into our scheme or to give us one of the
beans?"

Burton nodded.

"I hold them in trust for myself." There was a moment's silence. Mr.
Bomford seemed to be struggling for words. The professor was looking
exceedingly disappointed.

"Mr. Burton," he protested, "I cannot help feeling a certain amount of
admiration for your point of view, but, believe me, you are entirely in
the wrong. I beg that you will think this matter over."

"I am sure that it would be useless," Burton replied. "Nothing would
induce me to change my mind."

"Nothing?" Mr. Bomford asked, with a peculiar meaning in his tone.

"Nothing?" the professor echoed softly.

Burton withdrew his eyes from the little shadowy vista of garden and
looked steadfastly at the two men. Then his heart began to beat. He
was filled with a sort of terror lest they should say what he felt sure
was in their minds. It was like sacrilege. It was something unholy.
His eyes had been caught by the flutter of a white gown passing across
one of the lighter places of the perfumed darkness. They had been
watching him. He only prayed that they would not interrupt until he had
reach