in it methodically, as was his
wont. Gabrielle thanked him. She smiled to herself, for it seemed to
her that the words of Miss Grant with which he had recalled her from
her abstraction had a curious and prophetic meaning for herself. She
was thankful, for a moment, that she hadn't thoughtlessly given
Arthur's reputation away to his comrades. She felt herself thrilled by
a new and curious interest. She determined, as a part of her duty to
his mother, to speak to Arthur himself about what she had observed.

She caught him in the passage just as the boys were going to bed, and
drew him aside into the drawing-room. The room was quite dark.

"Arthur, I want to speak to you," she said.

He laughed. "What's the matter?"

"When we were playing cards to-night you cheated."

For a moment there was silence. Then he laughed again--not an uneasy,
shameful laugh, but one of sheer amusement. It shocked her. At last
he said:

"Did you see it? Then why didn't you make a fuss about it?"

She was thankful, at any rate, that he had not lied to her. That was
what she had fearfully expected.

"I didn't want to give you away to the others."

"Why not? It wouldn't have been any news to them. They know that I
cheat already. That's why they're up against me. But that doesn't
worry me."

"I don't understand you. It seemed to me a horrible thing to do.
Can't you see that?"

"No, I can't. Perhaps I'm different. When I play I play to win."

"But that's the whole point. If you don't stick to the rules of the
game there's no credit in winning, is there?"

He was silent for a moment. Then, with an effort of the most
courageous honesty, he said: "Well, it feels the same to me. I like
winning--anyhow."

She hesitated for a moment.

"It makes it so that--so that we can't respect you," she said.

"Now I suppose you'll go and tell Dr. Considine. Just my luck."

"Indeed, and I shan't do anything of the sort. It's between us two,"
she replied.

He was silent.

"Well, it does no good talking about it," he said mournfully. "I'm
made differently, that's all. Do you want anything else?"

She didn't, and he left her in the dark.

This small incident and the conversation that followed opened her eyes
to the reality of the problem. She didn't indeed tell Considine what
had happened, but she did talk to him once or twice about the history
of Arthur Payne. He did not tell her much, for it was part of his plan
tha