a supreme--an extraordinary--moment. Until Lord
Deerehurst had made the stake--until the first click of the spinning
ball had struck upon her ear--she had been conscious of only one
feeling: a prejudiced, innate dread of every game--whether of chance or
skill--upon which money could be staked; but the simple placing of the
coin, the simple turning of the pivot had marked for her a
psychological moment. With a quick catching of the breath, she stepped
involuntarily forward, aware of but one fact--the keen, exhilarating
knowledge that the stopping of the ball must mean loss or
gain--individual loss or gain.

During the dozen seconds that it spun round the circle, she stood
silent; then a faint sound of uncontrollable excitement slipped from
between her lips. Hers was the winning number!

As in a dream, she extended her hand, and took the little heap of money
from the fingers of Luard, who had come to Lady Frances' assistance;
then, on the instant that the coins touched her palm, her excitement
evaporated; her sense of elation fell away, to be succeeded by the
first instinctive shrinking that had swayed her imagination.

Acting purely upon impulse, she turned to Lord Deerehurst; and before
he could remonstrate, pressed the money into his hand.

"Please take it!" she said urgently--"please take it! It isn't mine. It
oughtn't to be mine. I--I don't wish to play."

CHAPTER VI

The little incident, trivial in itself, damped the general ardour for
roulette. After a dozen turns of the wheel, Lady Frances declared
herself satisfied.

"Mrs. Milbanke has regenerated us--for the moment!" she cried. "I can't
play roulette to-night. But our turn will come; Mrs. Milbanke. We will
be revenged on you!"

Her shrewd, smiling glance passed rapidly over Clodagh's face.

Again the whole company laughed.

"Mrs. Milbanke is a feminine Sir Galahad!" said Luard. "By the way,
Lady Frances, when is our irreproachable knight to honour Venice with
his presence?"

He turned and looked banteringly at his hostess.

Lady Frances smiled.

"Oh, any day now," she returned. "But aren't you rather incorrigible?"

"So Sir Galahad thinks!" he retorted, unabashed. "Is he an acquaintance
of yours, Mrs. Milbanke?"

Clodagh smiled uncertainly; and Lady Frances laughed.

"How ridiculous of you to expect Mrs. Milbanke to read your riddles!"
she said sharply. "The person this very disrespectful young man is
speaking of, Mrs. Milbanke, is