ch he wore on his
finger. The game began again, but he did not bet; and murmuring comments
around the room went on, some averring that he was a bad loser, who
never had nerve for his reverses, and others as stoutly maintaining that
he was such a consummate master of himself that he was never carried
away by impulse, but, seeing fortune unfavorable, had firmness enough to
endure his present defeat, and wait for a better moment. Gradually the
interest of the bystanders took some other direction, and Paten was
unobserved, as he sat, to all seeming, inattentive to everything that
went on before him. Suddenly, however, he placed twenty thousand francs
in notes upon the table, and said, "Red." The "Black" won; and he
pushed back his chair, arose, and strolled carelessly into another room.

O'Shea followed him; he saw him chatting away pleasantly with some of
his most illustrious friends, laughingly telling how unfortunate he had
been, and in sportive vein declaring that, from the very fact of her
sex, a man should not trust too much to Fortune. "I 'll go and play
dominoes with the Archduchess of Lindau," said he, laughing; "it will
be a cheap pleasure even if I lose." And he moved off towards a smaller
_salon_, where the more exclusive of the guests were accustomed to
assemble.

Not caring to attract attention by appearing in a company where he was
not known to any, O'Shea sauntered out into the garden, and, tempted
by the fresh night air, sat down. Chilled after a while, he resolved to
take a brisk walk before bed-time, and set out in the avenue which
leads to Lichtenthal. He had plenty to think of, and the time favored
reflection. On and on he went at a smart pace, the activity of mind
suggesting activity of body, and, before he knew it, had strolled some
miles from Baden, and found himself on the rise of the steep ascent
that leads to Eberstein. He was roused, indeed, from his musings by the
passage of a one-horse carriage quite close to him, and which, having
gained a piece of level ground, drew up. The door was quickly opened,
and a man got out; the moonlight was full upon his figure, and O'Shea
saw it was Paten. He looked around for a second or two, and then entered
the wood. O'Shea determined to explore the meaning of the mystery, and,
crossing the low edge, at once followed him. Guided by the light of the
cigar which Paten was smoking, O'Shea tracked him till he perceived him
to come to a halt, and immediately after