"If it was," said Hay, with quivering lips, "why didn't you denounce me then and there?"

"Because I denounce you now," she said; "you're cooked, my man. These boys will see that the matter is made public."

"By Jove, yes!" cried Sandal, with a look of abhorrence at Hay, "and I'll prosecute you to get back those thousands you won off me."

"I never did--"

"You've been rooking this boy for months," cried Miss Qian. "Here, Tempest, get a constable. We'll give him in charge for swindling."

"No! no!" cried Hay, his nerve giving way under the threatened exposure; "you'll have your money back, Sandal, I swear."

"Lord George to you now, you blackguard; and how can you pay me the money when I know you haven't got a cent?"

"He intends to get it from the heiress," sn.i.g.g.e.red Aurora.

"Oh, dear me!" rose the plaintive voice of the sheep-dog, "what is it, Aurora? Anything wrong?"

"We've caught Hay cheating, that's all, and the police--"

"Oh, Aurora, don't bring up the police."

"No, don't," said Hay, who was now trembling. "I'll do whatever you like. Don't show me up--I'm--I'm going to be married soon."

"No, you sha'n't marry," cried Tempest, sharply; "I'll see this girl myself and save her from you."

"You can't prove that I cheated," said Hay, desperately.

"Yes, we can," said George. "I, and Miss Qian, and Tempest all saw you cheat, and Miss Qian has the marked cards."

"But don't expose me. I--I--" Hay broke down and turned away with a look of despair on his face. He cursed himself inwardly for having ventured to cheat when things, by the marriage with Maud Krill, would have soon been all right for him. "Miss Qian," he cried in a tone of agony, "give me another chance."

Aurora, playing her own game, of which the two young men were ignorant, appeared to repent. She beckoned to Miss Stably. "Take Mr. Hay into the dining-room," she said, "and I'll see what I can do. But you try and bolt, Hay, and the news will be all over the West End to-morrow."

"I'll stop," said Hay, whose face was colorless, and, without another word, he followed the sheep-dog into the dining-room in an agony of mind better imagined than described. Then Miss Qian turned her attention to her guests:

"See here, boys," she said frankly, "this is a dirty business, and I don't want to be mixed up with it."

"But Hay should be exposed," insisted Sandal; "he's been rooking me, I do believe, for months."

"Serve you jolly well right," said Aurora, heartlessly. "I warned you again and again against him. But if there's a row, where do I come in?"

"It won't hurt you," said Tempest, eagerly.

"Oh, won't it? Gambling in my flat, and all the rest of it. You boys may think me free and easy but I'm straight. No one can say a word against me. I'm not going to be made out an adventuress and a bad woman for the sake of that swindler, Hay. So you boys will just hold your tongues."

"No," said Sandal, "my money--"

"Oh, bother your money. One would think you were a Jew. I'll see that Hay pays it back. He's going to marry this Krill girl, and she's able to supply the cash."

"But the girl shouldn't be allowed to marry Hay," said Tempest.

"Don't you burn your fingers with other people's fire," said Aurora, sharply. "This girl's in love with him and will marry him in spite of everything. But I don't care a cent for that. It's myself I'm thinking of. If I get your money back, Sandal, will you hold your tongue?"

Lord George, thinking of what his n.o.ble father would say were he involved in a card scandal connected with an actress, thought it just as well to agree. "Yes," said he, hesitatingly, "I'll not say a word, if you get the money back. But don't you let Hay speak to me again in public or I'll kick him."

"That's your affair and his," said Aurora, delighted at having gained her point; "but you hold your tongue, and you, Tempest?"

"I'll not say a word either," said the young man, with a shrug, "though I don't see why you should save this blackguard's reputation."

"It's my own I'm thinking of, so don't you make any mistake. And now I have both your promises?"

"Yes," said Sandal and Tempest, thinking it best to hush the matter up; "but Hay--"

"I'll see to him. You two boys clear out and go home to bed."

"But we can't leave you alone with Hay," said Tempest.

"I'll not be alone with him," cried the little woman, imperiously; "my companion is with me. What do you mean?"

"He might do you some harm."

"Oh! might he? You take me for a considerable idiot, I suppose. You get along, boys, and leave me to fix up things."

Both young men protested again; but Aurora, anxious for her conversation with Hay, bundled them out of the flat and banged the door to, when she heard them whistling below for a hansom. Then she went to the dining-room.

"You come along to the drawing-room," she said to Hay. "Miss Stably, stop here."

"I haven't got my shawl," bleated the old lady.

"Oh, bother," Aurora ran to the other room, s.n.a.t.c.hed up the shawl and saw Miss Stably sitting down to knit, while she led Hay back into the drawing-room. He looked round when he entered.

"Where are they?" he asked, sitting down.

"Gone; but it's all right. I've made them promise not to say--"

Grexon Hay didn't let her finish. He fell on his knees and kissed her hand. His face was perfectly white, but his eyes were full of grat.i.tude as he babbled his thanks. No one could have accused him of being cold then. But Miss Qian did not approve of this emotion, natural though it was.

"Here, get up," she said, s.n.a.t.c.hing her hand away. "I've got to speak straight to you. I've done a heap for you, now you've got to do a heap for me."

"Anything--anything," said Hay, whose face was recovering its normal color. "You have saved me--you have."

"And much of a thing you are to save. You'll be cheating again in a week or so."

"No," cried Hay, emphatically, "I swear I'll not touch a card again.

I'll marry Maud and turn respectable. Oh, what a lesson I've had! You are sure those fellows won't speak?"

"No. That's all right. You can go on swindling as before, only," Miss Qian raised a finger, "you'll have to pay Sandal back some cash."