e ill-conditioned brute acknowledges a master
in the hand that has thrashed it. For at Losely's first appearance at
the convivial meeting just concluded, being nettled at the imperious
airs of superiority which that roysterer assumed, mistaking for
effeminacy Jasper's elaborate dandyism, and not recognizing in the
bravo's elegant proportions the tiger-like strength of which, in truth,
that tiger-like suppleness should have warned him, Dolly Poole provoked
a quarrel, and being himself a stout fellow, nor unaccustomed to
athletic exercises, began to spar; the next moment he was at the other
end of the room full sprawl on the floor; and two minutes afterwards,
the quarrel made up by conciliating banqueters, with every bone in his
skin seeming still to rattle, he was generously blubbering out that he
never bore malice, and shaking hands with Jasper Losely as if he had
found a benefactor. But now to the dialogue.

JASPER.--"Yes, Poole, my hearty, as you say, that fellow trumping my
best club lost me the last rubber. There's no certainty in whist, if one
has a spoon for a partner."

POOLE.--"No certainty in every rubber, but next to certainty in the
long run, when a man plays as well as you do, Mr. Losely. Your winnings
to-night must have been pretty large, though you had a bad partner
almost every hand; pretty large, eh?"

JASPER (carelessly).--"Nothing to talk of,--a few ponies!"

POOLE.--"More than a few; I should know."

JASPER.--"Why? You did not play after the first rubber."

POOLE.--"No, when I saw your play on that first rubber, I cut out, and
bet on you; and very grateful to you I am. Still you would win more with
a partner who understood your game."

The shrewd Dolly paused a moment, and leaning significantly on Jasper's
arm, added, in a half whisper, "I do; it is a French one."

Jasper did not change colour, but a quick rise of the eyebrow, and a
slight jerk of the neck, betrayed some little surprise or uneasiness:
however, he rejoined without hesitation, "French, ay! In France there is
more dash in playing out trumps than there is with English players."

"And with a player like you," said Poole, still in a half whisper, "more
trumps to play out."

Jasper turned round sharp and short; the hard, cruel expression of his
mouth, little seen of late, came back to it. Poole recoiled, and his
bones began again to ache. "I did not mean to offend you, Mr. Losely,
but to caution."

"Caution!"

"There were two