ile. "I may have thought I was gambling, but I admit I don't know
how. Now Polk, here, wins all the time, don't you, Polk? Just follow
him."

A wry smile spread over Lynde's face at this, for it was on record in
certain circles that he had lost as much as ten and even fifteen
thousand in an evening. He also had a record of winning twenty-five
thousand once at baccarat at an all-night and all-day sitting, and then
losing it.

Lynde all through the evening had been casting hard, meaning glances
into Aileen's eyes. She could not avoid this, and she did not feel
that she wanted to. He was so charming. He was talking to her half
the time at the theater, without apparently addressing or even seeing
her. Aileen knew well enough what was in his mind. At times, quite as
in those days when she had first met Cowperwood, she felt an unwilled
titillation in her blood. Her eyes brightened. It was just possible
that she could come to love a man like this, although it would be hard.
It would serve Cowperwood right for neglecting her. Yet even now the
shadow of Cowperwood was over her, but also the desire for love and a
full sex life.

In the gambling-rooms was gathered an interested and fairly smart
throng--actors, actresses, clubmen, one or two very emancipated women
of the high local social world, and a number of more or less
gentlemanly young gamblers. Both Lord and McKibben began suggesting
column numbers for first plays to their proteges, while Lynde leaned
caressingly over Aileen's powdered shoulders. "Let me put this on
quatre premier for you," he suggested, throwing down a twenty-dollar
gold piece.

"Oh, but let it be my money," complained Aileen. "I want to play with
my money. I won't feel that it's mine if I don't."

"Very well, but you can't just now. You can't play with bills." She
was extracting a crisp roll from her purse. "I'll have to exchange
them later for you for gold. You can pay me then. He's going to call
now, anyhow. There you are. He's done it. Wait a moment. You may
win." And he paused to study the little ball as it circled round and
round above the receiving pockets.

"Let me see. How much do I get if I win quatre premier?" She was
trying to recall her experiences abroad.

"Ten for one," replied Lynde; "but you didn't get it. Let's try it
once more for luck. It comes up every so often--once in ten or twelve.
I've made it often on a first play. How long has it been since the
l