"By the way, Roland, did you just come from the bank? Is Mr. Lockwood back yet?"
"No; I got off this morning. I don't think he is, Sam. Did you want to see him?"
"Well, yes," Sam admitted. "I guess you know about that, Roland."
"Mean business, sometimes, asking favours of these bankers, eh, Mr. Graham?" Burnham remarked, much too casually to have deceived anybody but old Sam.
Graham nodded, dolefully. "Yes, it is unpleasant," he admitted confidingly. "You see, there's a note of mine come due to-day, and I'm not able to take care of it or pay the interest just now...." He thought it over gravely for a moment, then brightened. "But I guess it'll be all right. Mr. Lockwood's kind, very kind."
"I'm afraid you're a little too sure, Sam," Roland contributed tactfully. "When there's money due Lockwood, he wants it, and most times he gets it or its equivalent."
"Yes," Sam assented sadly, "I guess he does, mostly."
"But," Burnham changed the subject adroitly, "what was this—burner, did you say?—that Mr. Barnette forgot to tell me about?"
"Oh, just one of my inventions, sir."
"I understand you're quite an inventor?"