o you mean by that, sir? If your words are intended to express a
doubt as to my solvency--"

"Well! well--I did not mean to offend you. After all, you must know best
yourself what you are justified in doing."

Irwin repeated with a defiant air--

"Ten thousand! I am waiting for your answer, McGregor."

The adversary remained as calm as before.

"Ten thousand five hundred."

"Twenty thousand!"

"Are you drunk, Irwin?" whispered the young Lieutenant Temple into the
Captain's ear, from the other side. But he only glanced round with a
furious look.

"Not more than you. Leave me alone, if you please."

"Twenty-one thousand," came the calm response from the other side of the
table.

A short, awkward pause followed. Captain Irwin nervously gnawed his
small dark moustache. Then he raised his slim figure and called out--

"Fifty thousand!"

Once more the Major considered it his duty to endeavour to stop the
game.

"I object," he said. "It has been always a rule that the pool cannot
be raised by more than a thousand rupees at a time. This limit has long
since been passed."

A rude, hoarse laugh escaped Irwin's lips.

"It appears you want to save me, Major. But I am not in need of any
saviour. If I lose I pay, and I don't understand why the gentlemen are
so concerned on my behalf."

The Major, who at last saw that all his good endeavours were misplaced,
shrugged his shoulders. Lieutenant Temple, however, thought he had
a good idea, and with an apparently unintentional, though violent,
movement pushed against the light camp-table, and sent ashtrays,
bottles, glasses, and cards flying on the ground. But he did not gain
anything by this, for the two players held their cards firmly in their
hands, and did not allow this contretemps to disturb their sangfroid for
a single moment.

"Fifty-one," said McGregor.

"Sixty."

"Sixty-one."

"Seventy."

"Seventy-one."

"Eighty."

"Eighty-one."

"A lakh!" cried Irwin, who was now pale from excitement.

"Really?" asked McGregor calmly, "that is a fine bid. A lakh--that is,
reckoned at the present rate of exchange, 6,500 pounds sterling. You
will be a wealthy man, Irwin, if you win. Now, then, I see you."

With trembling fingers, but with a triumphant look, the Captain laid
down his cards.

"Straight flush," he said hoarsely.

"Yes, a strong hand," replied the other, smiling. "But which is your
highest card?"

"The king, as you see for yourself."

"That