table.

"Too bad!" murmured Miss Frayne, carelessly picking up the hand. "Why, you didn't look closely! Here's an ace and two queens and----"

"They're nothing! How dare you dispute my word? I say the hand is worthless!" She fairly snatched the cards from the girl and turned them face down again.

"But mad'moiselle," began the Count, "if you have an ace and two queens, I could have played a no-trump hand grand,--ah, splendid!"

"Yes, _you_ could have played it! You want to play all the open hands! You want me to sit here a dummy, a figure-head, every time!"

"Now, now, Lady Lucy----" and Anita Frayne laughed pleasantly.

"Be quiet! You're worse yet! You want to deal me good hands to humor me! I believe you would cheat to do it! I don't want good cards that way!"

"Ah," begged the Count, seeing Anita flush, "do not tell the young lady she cheats! Do not do that!"

"I'll tell her what I choose! Gray, say something! You sit there like a mummy, while these people are insulting me right and left! Tell Anita that I am right in not wishing her to deal me good cards purposely."

"But she didn't," declared Haviland; "you know she didn't. Why, she couldn't, even if she wanted to!"

"Oh, yes, she could!" and Miss Carrington gave a disagreeable sneer. "She's quite clever enough for any deceit or treachery."

"Stop, Cousin Lucy! I can't let you talk so about Miss Frayne in my presence!"

"Oh, you can't, can't you? And, pray, what right have you to defend her? Go away, both of you! I'll play with you no longer. Go away and send Pauline and Mr. Illsley in here. They, at least, will play fair."

Anita Frayne rose without a word. Haviland rose too, but talking volubly. "Let up, Cousin Lucy," he said sternly. "You've no right to treat Miss Frayne so. You ought to apologize to her for such rudeness."

"Apologize!" Miss Carrington fairly shrieked; "she'll do the apologizing, and you, too, my foolish young cousin. You little know what's going to happen to me! To-morrow you may sing another song!"

Haviland looked at her in astonishment; the Count, thoughtfully. The same idea was 

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