ting me, as it happens," Draconmeyer lied smoothly. "I
told her that I might be dining at the Villa Mimosa. I have to be there
later on."

Violet gathered up her money, stuffed it into her gold bag and hurried
off for her cloak. She reappeared in a few moments and smiled very
graciously at Draconmeyer.

"It is quite a wonderful idea of yours, this," she declared. "I am
looking forward immensely to my next few coups. I feel in a winning
vein. Very soon," she added, as they stepped out on to the pavement and
she gathered up her skirts, "very soon I am quite sure that I shall be
asking 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 I
like to feel that you are a little--just a very little in my debt. Do
you think that I should be a severe creditor?"

Something in his voice disturbed her vaguely, but she brushed the
thought away. Of course he admired her, but then every woman must have
admirers. It only remained for her to be clever enough to keep him at
arm'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 or
unkind. I hate the feeling of owing anything."

"It is a question," he observed, "how far one can be said to owe
anything to those who are really friends. A husband, for instance. One
can't keep a ledger account with him."

"A husband is a different matter altogether," she asserted coldly. "Now
I wonder whether we shall find my favourite table full. Anyhow, I am
going 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 first
suite of rooms to the Cercle Prive. Violet looked eagerly towards the
table 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 to
be 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 me
at any time. I am not in the least hungry yet."

"Very well," he agreed. "Good luck to you!" They played at opposite
sides of the table. For an hour she