Part 69 (2/2)

Mrs. Bathurst looked annoyed.

”Would it be quite wise----?” she asked sharply.

But Deerehurst intervened.

”Well,” he said, ”shall we decide on forty-s.h.i.+lling points? Mr.

Mansfeldt, do you agree?”

Mansfeldt, who was an intensely reserved and silent man, looked up unemotionally.

”I am in your hands,” he said; and following the example already set by Clodagh and Mrs. Bathurst, he seated himself at the card-table.

”Very well! Forty-s.h.i.+lling points.” Deerehurst also seated himself, and began to collect the scattered cards.

But with a swift gesture, Clodagh leant across the table and placed a detaining hand over his.

”Wait!” she said. ”Let's make it eighty s.h.i.+llings a hundred!”

Deerehurst raised his eyebrows, and the millionaire glanced at her curiously; while Mrs. Bathurst made a little affected exclamation of dismay.

”Clodagh, I couldn't! I'm horribly hard up!”

Once again Clodagh laughed shortly.

”Then trust to luck! You're more lucky than I am.” Her voice was high, and charged with excitement; her eyes looked hard and very bright.

Deerehurst's cold glance rested for a moment on her face.

”You really want excitement to-night?” he asked in a low voice.

She threw up her head with a reckless movement.

”Yes; I do want excitement. Rose, will you agree to eighty-s.h.i.+lling points?”

Mrs. Bathurst allowed her gaze to flutter prettily from one face to another, until it finally rested upon Mansfeldt's.

”Will you decide, partner!” she said in a confiding whisper.

Mansfeldt looked at her for an instant in slight embarra.s.sment; then he appeared to regain his stolidity of bearing.

”You may play,” he said decisively. And a faint, indescribable smile flitted across Mrs. Bathurst's lips, as she sank back into her chair.

It was nearly two hours before the steady progress of their play was interrupted by any remark not directly connected with the game; then, at the conclusion of the second rubber, Clodagh looked across at Deerehurst, as if obeying a sudden impulse.

”I bring you bad luck, partner!” she said quickly.

Mrs. Bathurst laughed.

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