'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 noble 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 H