"I don't think," Engleton said slowly, "that I care about playing any
more--just now."
The Princess yawned as she leaned back in her chair. Both Forrest and
De la Borne, who had left his place to turn up one of the lamps,
glanced stealthily round at the speaker.
"I am not keen about it myself," Forrest said smoothly. "After all,
though, it's only three o'clock."
Cecil's fingers shook, so that his tinkering with the lamp failed, and
the room was left almost in darkness. Forrest, glad of an excuse to
leave his place, went to the great north window and pulled up the
blind. A faint stream of grey light stole into the room. The Princess
shrieked, and covered her face with her hands.
"For Heaven's sake, Nigel," she cried, "pull that blind down! I do not
care for these Rembrandtesque effects. Tobacco ash and cards and my
complexion do not look at their best in such a crude light."
Forrest obeyed, and the room for a moment was in darkness. There was a
somewhat curious silence. The Princess was breathing softly but
quickly. When at last the lamp burned up again, every one glanced
furtively toward the young man who was leaning back in his chair with
his eyes fixed absently upon the table.
"Well, what is it to be?" Forrest asked, reseating himself. "One more
rubber or bed?"
"I've lost a good deal more than I care to," Cecil remarked in a
somewhat unnatural tone, "but I say another brandy and soda, and one
more rubber. There are some sandwiches behind you, Engleton."
"Thank you," Engleton answered without looking up. "I am not hungry."
The Princess took up a fresh pack of cards, and let them fall idly
through her fingers. Then she took a cigarette from the gold case which
hung from her chatelaine, and lit it.
"One more rubber, then," she said. "After that we will go to bed."
The others came toward the table, and the Princess threw down the
cards. They all three cut. Engleton, however, did not move.
"I think," he said, "that you did not quite understand me. I said that
I did not care to play any more."
"Three against one," the Princess remarked lightly.
"Why not play cut-throat, then?" Engleton remarked. "It would be an
excellent arrangement."
"Why so?" Forrest asked.
"Because you could rob one another," Engleton said. "It would be
interesting to watch."
A few seconds intense silence followed Engleton's words. It was the
Princess who spoke first. Her tone was composed but chilly. She looked
toward Engleton with steady eyes.
"My dear Lord Ronald," she said, "is this a joke? I am afraid my sense
of humour grows a little dull at this hour of the morning."
"It was not meant for a joke," Engleton said. "My words were spoken in
earnest."
The Princess, without any absolute movement, seemed suddenly to become
more erect. One forgot her rouge, her blackened eyebrows, her powdered
cheeks. It was the great lady who looked at Engleton.
"Are we to take this, Lord Ronald," she asked, "as a serious
accusation?"
"You can take it for what it is, madam," Engleton answered--"the truth."
Cecil de la Borne rose to his feet and leaned across the table. His
cheeks were as pale as death. His voice was shaking.
"I am your host, Engleton," he said, "and I demand an explanation of
what you have said. Your accusation is absurd. You must be drunk or out
of your senses."
"I am neither drunk nor out of my senses," Engleton answered, "nor am I
such an utter fool as to be so easily deceived. The fact that you, as
my partner, played like an idiot, made rotten declarations, and revoked
when one rubber was nearly won, I pass over. That may or may not have
been your miserable idea of the game. Apart from that, however, I
regret to have discovered that you, Forrest, and you, madam," he added,
addressing the Princess, "have made use throughout the last seven
rubbers of a code with your fingers, both for the declarations and for
the leads. My suspicions were aroused, I must confess, by accident. It
was remarkably easy, however, to verify them. Look here!"
Engleton touched his forehead.
"Hearts!" he said.
He touched his lip.
"Diamonds!" he added.
He passed his fingers across his eyebrows.
"Clubs!" he remarked.
He beat with his fourth finger softly upon the table.
"Spades!"
Major Forrest rose to his feet.
"Lord Ronald," he said, "I am exceedingly sorry that owing to my
introduction you have become a guest in this house. As for your
ridiculous accusation, I deny it."
"And I," the Princess murmured.
"Naturally," Engleton answered smoothly. "I really do not see what else
you could do. I regret very much to have been the unfortunate means of
breaking up such a pleasant little house-party. I am going to my room
now to change my clothes, and I will trespass upon your hospitality,
Mr. De la Borne, only so far as to beg you to let me have a cart, or
something of the sort, to drive me into Wells, as soon as your people
come on the scene."
Engleton rose to his feet, and with a stiff little bow, walked toward
the door. He, too, seemed somehow during the last few minutes to have
shown signs of a greater virility than was at any time manifest in his
boyish, somewhat unintelligent, face. He carried himself with a new
dignity, and he spoke with the decision of an older man. For a moment
they watched him go. Then Forrest, obeying a lightning-like glance from
the Princess, crossed the room swiftly and stood with his back to the
door.
"Engleton," he said, "this is absurd. We can afford to ignore your mad
behaviour and your discourtesy, but before you leave this room we must
come to an understanding."
Lord Ronald stood with his hands behind his back.
"I had imagined," he said, "that an understanding was exactly what we
had come to. My words were plain enough, were they not? I am leaving
this house because I have found myself in the company of sharks and
card-sharpers."
Forrest's eyes narrowed. A quick little breath passed between his
teeth. He took a step forward toward the young man, as though about to
strike him.
Engleton, however, remained unmoved.
"You are going to carry away a story like this?" he said hoarsely.
"I shall tell my friends," Engleton answered, "just as much or as
little as I choose of my visit here. Since, however, you are curious, I
may say that should I find you at any future time in any respectable
house, it will be my duty to inform any one of my friends who are
present of the character of their fellow-guest. Will you be so good as
to stand away from that door?"
"No!" Forrest answered.
Engleton turned toward Cecil.
"Mr. De la Borne," he said, "may I appeal to you, as it is your house,
to allow me egress from it?"
Cecil came hesitatingly up to the two. The Princess, with a sweep of
her skirts, followed him.
"Major Forrest is right," she declared. "We cannot have this madman go
back to London to spread about slanderous tales. Major Forrest will
stand away from that door, Lord Ronald, as soon as you pass your word
that what has happened to-night will remain a secret."
Engleton laughed contemptuously.
"Not I," he answered. "Exactly what I said to Major Forrest, I repeat,
madam, to you, and to you, sir, my host. I shall give my friends the
benefit of my experience whenever it seems to me advisable."
Forrest locked the door, and put the key into his pocket.
"We shall hope, Lord Ronald," he said quietly, "to induce you to change
your mind."