"Hullo," said Trevanna lazily, looking at the overturned table and the scattered cards with an air of well-bred surprise, "what's the matter?"

"Nothing," replied Adrian, thrusting his hands into his pockets and looking down at the debris from his height of six feet odd, "only I'm sick of playing you've won a deuce of a lot, so unless I want to leave myself a pauper, I think I'll give the game best for to-night."

"Better luck next time," said Trevanna, rising and stretching himself, "you're a bad loser."

"There never yet was a philosopher who could bear the toothache patiently," quoted Adrian with a grim smile.

"You call losing at cards, toothache," murmured Philip indolently, "I daresay you're right, it's quite as disagreeable at all events." He glanced complacently over the bundle of I.O.U's he held in his hand, added the amounts together, then offered them to his companion.

"I'm rather in luck's way to-night," he said in a satisfied tone, "if you don't mind, old chap, I'd like a cheque for a thousand."

Adrian bit his nether lip angrily, then walking towards his desk, and pulling out a blank cheque, made it out for the amount named, which he handed to Philip without a word, then taking the I.O.U's he tore them up and threw the pieces on the floor.

"That pretty well clears me out of ready money," he said at length, resuming his position in front of the mantelpiece, while Philip filled himself a glass of brandy-and-soda, "it will pull me up for a bit."

"Never mind," said Trevanna with an evil smile, "your marriage with Olive Maunders will put you straight."

"Leave Miss Maunders out of the question," observed Adrian imperiously, "you've no right to use her name."

"I'll use the name of anybody I like," retorted Trevanna, into whose head the liquor he had drunk was rapidly mounting.

"Except hers," said Lancaster quietly, although his dark face was flushed with anger.

Philip Trevanna laughed insolently at the remark and taking up a few cards, lightly balanced them in his hand.

"A nice one you are, to preach morality," he said scoffingly, "you're about as bad a lot as there is in Town."

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