CHAPTER XXVII
PLAYING FOR HIGH STAKES
Violet glanced at her watch with an exclamation of dismayed annoyance.She leaned appealingly towards the croupier.
"But one coup more, monsieur," she pleaded. "Indeed your clock is fast."
The croupier shook his head. He was a man of gallantry so far as hisprofession permitted, and he was a great admirer of the beautifulEnglishwoman, but the rules of the Club were strict.
"Madame," he pointed out, "it is already five minutes past eight. It isabsolutely prohibited that we start another coup after eight o'clock. Ifmadame will return at ten o'clock, the good fortune will without doubtbe hers."
She looked up at Draconmeyer, who was standing at her elbow.
"Did you ever know anything more hatefully provoking!" she complained."For two hours the luck has been dead against me. But for a few of my_carres_ turning up, I don't know what would have happened. And now atlast my numbers arrive. I win _en plein_ and with all the _carres_ and_chevaux_. This time it was twenty-seven. I win two _carres_ and I moveto twenty, and he will not go on."
"It is the rule," Draconmeyer reminded her. "It is bad fortune, though.I have been watching the run of the table. Things have been coming moreyour way all the time. I think that the end of your ill-luck hasarrived. Tell me, are you hungry?"
"Not in the least," she answered pettishly. "I hate the very thought ofdinner."
"Then why do we not go on to the Casino?" Draconmeyer suggested. "We canhave a sandwich and a glass of wine there, and you can continue yourvein."
She rose to her feet with alacrity. Her face was beaming.
"My friend," she exclaimed, "you are inspired! It is a brilliant idea. Iknow that it will bring me fortune. To the Cercle Prive, by all means. Iam so glad that you are one of those men who are not dependent upondinner. But what about Linda?"
"She is not expecting me, as it happens," Draconmeyer lied smoothly. "Itold her that I might be dining at the Villa Mimosa. I have to be therelater on."
Violet gathered up her money, stuffed it into her gold bag and hurriedoff for her cloak. She reappeared in a few moments and smiled verygraciously at Draconmeyer.
"It is quite a wonderful idea of yours, this," she declared. "I amlooking forward immensely to my next few coups. I feel in a winningvein. Very soon," she added, as they stepped out on to the pavement andshe gathered up her skirts, "very soon I am quite sure that I shall beasking you for my cheques back again."
He laughed, as though she had been a child speaking of playthings.
"I am not sure that I shall wish you luck," he said. "I think that Ilike to feel that you are a little--just a very little in my debt. Doyou think that I should be a severe creditor?"
Something in his voice disturbed her vaguely, but she brushed thethought away. Of course he admired her, but then every woman must haveadmirers. It only remained for her to be clever enough to keep him atarm's length. She had no fear for herself.
"I haven't thought about the matter at all," she answered carelessly,"but to me all creditors would be the same, whether they were kind orunkind. I hate the feeling of owing anything."
"It is a question," he observed, "how far one can be said to oweanything to those who are really friends. A husband, for instance. Onecan't keep a ledger account with him."
"A husband is a different matter altogether," she asserted coldly. "NowI wonder whether we shall find my favourite table full. Anyhow, I amgoing to play at the one nearest the entrance on the right-hand side.There is a little croupier there whom I like."
They passed up through the entrance and across the floor of the firstsuite of rooms to the Cercle Prive. Violet looked eagerly towards thetable of which she had spoken. To her joy there was plenty of room.
"My favourite seat is empty!" she exclaimed. "I know that I am going tobe lucky."
"I think that I shall play myself, for a change," Draconmeyer announced,producing a great roll of notes.
"Whenever you feel that you would like to go down and have something,don't mind me, will you?" she begged. "You can come back and talk to meat any time. I am not in the least hungry yet."
"Very well," he agreed. "Good luck to you!" They played at oppositesides of the table. For an hour she won and he lost. Once she called himover to her side.
"I scarcely dare to tell you," she whispered, her eyes gleaming, "but Ihave won back the first thousand pounds. I shall give it to youto-night. Here, take it now."
He shook his head and waved it away. "I haven't the cheques with me," heprotested. "Besides, it is bad luck to part with any of your winningswhile you are still playing."
He watched her for a minute or two. She still won.
"Take my advice," he said earnestly. "Play higher. You have had a mostunusual run of bad luck. The tide has turned. Make the most of it. Ihave lost ten mille. I am going to have a try your side of the table."
He found a vacant chair a few places lower down, and commenced playingin maximums. From the moment of his arrival he began to win, andsimultaneously Violet began to lose. Her good-fortune deserted herabsolutely, and for the first time she showed signs of losing herself-control. She gave vent to little exclamations of disgust as stakeafter stake was swept away. Her eyes were much too bright, there was aspot of colour in her cheeks. She spoke angrily to a croupier whodelayed handing her some change. Draconmeyer, although he knew perfectlywell what was happening, never seemed to glance in her direction. Heplayed with absolute recklessness for half-an-hour. When at last he rosefrom his seat and joined her, his hands were full of notes. He smiledever so faintly as he saw the covetous gleam in her eyes.
"I'm nearly broken," she gasped. "Leave off playing, please, for alittle time. You've changed my luck."
He obeyed, standing behind her chair. Three more coups she played andlost. Then she thrust her hand into her bag and drew it out, empty. Shewas suddenly pale.
"I have lost my last louis," she declared. "I don't understand it. Itseemed as though I must win here."
"So you will in time," he assured her confidently. "How much will youhave--ten mille or twenty?"
She shrank back, but the sight of the notes in his hand fascinated her.She glanced up at him. His pallor was unchanged, there was no sign ofexultation in his face. Only his eyes seemed a little brighter thanusual beneath his gold-rimmed spectacles.
"No, give me ten," she said.
She took them from his hand and changed them quickly into plaques. Herfirst coup was partially successful. He leaned closer over her.
"Remember," he pointed out, "that you only need to win once in a dozentimes and you do well. Don't be in such a hurry."
"Of course," she murmured. "Of course! One forgets that. It is all amatter of capital."
He strolled away to another table. When he came back, she was sittingidle in her place, restless and excited, but still full of confidence.
"I am a little to the good," she told him, "but I have left off for afew minutes. The very low numbers are turning up and they are no use tome."
"Come and have that sandwich," he begged. "You really ought to takesomething."
"The place shall be kept for madame," the croupier whispered. "I shallbe here for another two hours."
She nodded and rose. They made their way out of the Rooms and down intothe restaurant on the ground-floor. They found a little table near thewall and he ordered some pate sandwiches and champagne. Whilst theywaited she counted up her money, making calculations on a slip of paper.Draconmeyer leaned back in his chair, watching her. His back was towardsthe door and they were at the end table. He permitted himself the luxuryof looking at her almost greedily; of dropping, for a few moments, themask which he placed always upon his features in her presence. In hisway the man was an artist, a great collector of pictures and bronzes, areal lover and seeker after perfection. Often he found himself wanderingtowards his little gallery, content to stand about and gloat over someof his most treasured possessions. Yet the man's personality clashed
often with his artistic pretensions. He scarcely ever found himselfamongst his belongings without realising the existence of a curiousfeeling, wholly removed from the pure artistic pleasure of theircontemplation. It was the sense of ownership which thrilled him.Something of the same sensation was upon him now. She was the sort ofwoman he had craved for always--slim, elegant, and what to him, with hisquick powers of observation, counted for so much, she was modish,reflecting in her presence, her dress and carriage, even her speech, thebest type of the prevailing fashion. She excited comment wherever sheappeared. People, as he knew very well even now, were envying him hiscompanion. And beneath it all--she, the woman, was there. All his lifehe had fought for the big things--political power, immense wealth, theconfidence of his great master--all these had come to him easily. And atthat moment they were like baubles!
She looked up at last and there was a slight frown upon her forehead.
"I am still a little down, starting from where I had the ten mille," shesighed. "I thought--"
She stopped short. There was a curious change in her face. Her eyes werefixed upon some person approaching. Draconmeyer turned quickly in hischair. Almost as he did so, Hunterleys paused before their table. Violetlooked up at him with quivering lips. For a moment it seemed as thoughshe were stepping out of her sordid surroundings.
"Henry!" she exclaimed. "Did you come to look for me? Did you know thatwe were here?"
"How should I?" he answered calmly. "I was strolling around with DavidBriston. We are at the Opera."
"At the Opera," she repeated.
"My little protegee, Felicia Roche, is singing," he went on, "in _Aida_.If she does as well in the next act as she has done in this, her futureis made."
He was on the point of adding the news of Felicia's engagement to theyoung man who had momentarily deserted him. Some evil chance changed hisintention.
"Why do you call her your little protegee?" she demanded.
"It isn't quite correct, is it?" he answered, a little absently. "Thereare three or four of us who are doing what we can to look after her. Herfather was a prominent member of the Wigwam Club. The girl won themusical scholarship we have there. She has more than repaid us for ourtrouble, I am glad to say."
"I have no doubt that she has," Violet replied, lifting her eyes.
There was a moment's silence. The significance of her words was entirelylost upon Hunterleys.
"Isn't this rather a new departure of yours?" he asked, glancingdisdainfully towards Draconmeyer. "I thought that you so much preferredto play at the Club."
"So I do," she assented, "but I was just beginning to win when the Clubclosed at eight o'clock, and so we came on here."
"Your good fortune continues, I hope?"
"It varies," she answered hurriedly, "but it will come, I am sure. Ihave been very near a big win more than once."
He seemed on the point of departure. She leaned a little forward.
"You had my note, Henry?"
Her tone was almost beseeching. Draconmeyer, who was listening withstony face, shivered imperceptibly.
"Thank you, yes," Hunterleys replied, frowning slightly. "I am sorry,but I am not at liberty to do what you suggest just at present. I wishyou good fortune."
He turned around and walked back to the other end of the room, whereBriston was standing at the bar. She looked after him for a moment asthough she failed to understand his words. Then her face hardened.Draconmeyer leaned towards her.
"Shall we go?" he suggested.
She rose with alacrity. Side by side they strolled through the roomstowards the Cercle Prive.
"I am sorry," Draconmeyer said regretfully, "but I am forced to leaveyou now. I will take you back to your place and after that I must go tothe hotel and change. I have a reception to attend. I wish you wouldtake the rest of my winnings and see what you can do with them."
She shook her head vigorously.
"No, thank you," she declared. "I have enough."
He shrugged his shoulders.
"I have twenty-five mille here in my pocket," he continued, "besidessome smaller change. I don't think it is quite fair to leave so muchmoney about in one's room or to carry it out into the country. Keep itfor me. You won't need to play with it--I can see that your luck isin--but it always gives one confidence to feel that one has a reservestock, something to fall back upon if necessary."
He drew the notes from his pocket and held them towards her. Her eyeswere fixed upon them covetously. The thought of all that money actuallyin her possession was wildly exhilarating.
"I will take care of them for you, if you like," she said. "I shall notplay with them, though. I owe you quite enough already and my losingdays are over."
He stuffed the notes carelessly into her bag.
"Twenty-five mille," he told her. "Remember my advice. If the luck stayswith you, stake maximums. Go for the big things."
She looked at him curiously as she closed her gold bag with a snap.
"After all," she declared, with a little laugh, "I am not sure that youare not the greater gambler of the two to trust me with all this money!"