this self-imposed task,
against which his better judgment rebelled, with earnestness and
determination.

He listened attentively to the preliminary explanations given him sotto
voce by Endicott. Segrave in the meanwhile had taken the latter's place
at the head of the table. He had put all his money in front of him, some
two hundred and sixty pounds all told, for his winnings during the last
half hour had not been as steady as heretofore, and he had not yet
succeeded altogether in making up that sum of money for which he yearned
with all the intensity of a disturbed conscience, eager to redeem one
miserable fault by another hardly more avowable.

He shuffled the cards and dealt just as Endicott had done.

"Now will you look at your card, young sir," said Endicott, who stood
behind Lambert's chair, whispering directions in his ear. "A splendid
card, begad! and one on which you must stake freely.... Nay! nay! that
is not enough," he added, hurriedly restraining the young man's hand,
who had timidly pushed a few silver coins forward. "'Tis thus you must
do!"

And before Lambert had time to protest the rotund man in the cinnamon
doublet and the wide lace cuffs, had emptied the contents of the little
leather wallet upon the table.

Five golden guineas rested on Lambert's card. Segrave turned up his own
and declared:

"I pay queen and upwards!"

"A two, by gad!" said Lord Walterton, too confused in his feeble head
now to display any real fury. "Did anyone ever see such accursed luck?"

"And look at this nine," quoth Sir Michael, who had become very sullen;
"not a card to-night!"

"I have a king," said Lambert quietly.

"And as I had the pleasure to remark before, my dear young friend," said
Endicott blandly, "'tis a mighty good card to hold.... And see," he
continued, as Segrave without comment added five more golden guineas to
Lambert's little hoard, "see how wise it was to stake a goodly sum ...
That is the whole art of the game of primero ... to know just what to
stake on each card in accordance with its value and the law of
averages.... But you will learn in time, young man you will learn...."

"The game doth not appear to be vastly complicated," assented Lambert
lightly.

"I have played primero on a system for years ..." quoth Lord Walterton
sententiously, "but to-night ... hic ... by Gad! ... I cannot make the
system work right ... hic!"

But already Segrave was dealing again. Lambert staked more coolly