The boy neither moved nor spoke nor made any sound.  For a moment or two he stood looking from the man to the coins and from the coins back to the man; then, gradually, the truth of the thing seemed to trickle into his mind and, as a hungry fox might pounce upon a stray fowl, he grabbed the money and—­bolted.

“Remember the name and remember the street,” Cleek called after him.

“You take your bloomin’ oath I will!” came back through the enfolding mist; “Gawd, yuss!”—­Just that; and the youth was gone.

“I wonder what you will think of me, Miss Lorne,” said Cleek, turning to her; “taking a chance like this; and, above all, with a fellow who would have stripped you of every jewel and every penny you have with you if things hadn’t happened as they have?”

“And I can very ill afford to lose anything now—­as I suppose you know, Mr. Cleek.  Things have changed sadly for me since that day Mr. Narkom introduced us at Ascot,” she said, with just a shadow of seriousness in her eyes.  “But as to what I think regarding your action toward that dreadful boy....  Oh, of course, if there is a chance of saving him from a career of crime, I think one owes him that as a duty.  In the circumstances, the temptation was very great.  It must be a horrible thing to be so hungry that one is driven to robbery to satisfy the longing for food.”

“Yes, very horrible—­very, very indeed.  I once knew a boy who stood as that boy stands—­at the parting of the ways; when the good that was in him fought the last great fight with the Devil of Circumstances.  If a hand had been stretched forth to help that boy at that time ...  Ah, well! it wasn’t.  The Devil took the reins and the game went his way.  If five shillings will put the reins into that boy’s hands to-night and steer him back to the right path, so much the better for him and—­for me.  I’ll know if he’s worth the chance I took to-morrow.  Now let us talk about something else.  Will you allow me to escort you across the heath and see you safely on your way home?  Or would you prefer that I should remain in the background as before?”

“How ungrateful you must think me, to suggest such a thing as that,” she said with a reproachful smile.  “Walk with me if you will be so kind.  I hope you know that this is the third time you have rendered me a service since I had the pleasure of meeting you.  It is very nice of you; and I am extremely grateful.  I wonder you find the time or—­well, take the trouble,” rather archly; “a great man like you.”

“Shall I take off my hat and say ‘thank you, ma’am’; or just the hackneyed ’Praise from Sir Hubert is praise indeed’?” he said with a laugh as he fell into step with her and they faced the mist and the distance together.  “I suppose you are alluding to my success in the famous Stanhope Case—­the newspapers made a great fuss over that, Mr. Narkom tells me.  But—­please.  One big success doesn’t make a ‘great man’ any more than one rosebush makes a garden.”