ly, he had
taken the one card as a blind.

"That is good enough--take away the money," Lionel said, calmly; and the
younger man, with quite as expressionless a face, raked over the pile of
gold, bank-notes, and counters.

There was a general sense of relief; that strain had been too intense.

"Very magnificent, you know," said the player who was next to Lionel, as
he placed his ante on the table, "but it isn't poker. I think if you fix
a limit you should stick to it. Have your private bets if you like; but
let us have a limit that allows everybody to see the fun."

"Oh, certainly, I agree to that," Lionel said, at once. "We will keep to
the sovereign limit; and Mr. Miles and I will understand well enough
what we are betting when we happen to play against each other."

Thereafter the game went more quietly, though Lionel was clearly playing
with absolute carelessness; no doubt his companions understood that he
could not hope to retrieve his losses in this moderate play. He seemed
tired, too, and dispirited; frequently he threw up his cards without
drawing--which was unusual with him.

"Have a drink, old man, to wake you up?" his neighbor said to him, about
half-past two.

"No, thanks," he answered, listlessly looking on at the cards.

"A cigarette, then?"

"No, thanks. I think I must give up smoking altogether--my throat isn't
quite right."

But an extraordinary stroke of good-luck aroused him. On looking at his
cards he found he had been dealt four aces and a ten. Surely the hour of
his revenge had sounded at last; for with such a hand he could easily
frighten the others out, while he knew that Percival Miles would remain
in, if he had anything at all. Accordingly, when it came to his turn he
raised before the draw--raised the pool a sovereign; and this caused two
of the players to retire, leaving himself, Miles, and the dealer. He
took one card--to his astonishment and concealed delight he found it was
the joker. Five aces!--surely on such a hand he might bet his furniture,
his clothes, his last cigarette. Five aces!--it was nothing but brute
force; all that was wanted was to pile on the money; he could well
afford to be reckless this time. He saw that Miles also asked for one
card, and that the dealer helped himself to two; but what the took was a
matter of supreme indifference to him.

It was Percival Miles's turn to bet.

"I will bet a sovereign," said he.

"And I'll stay in with you," remarked the d