Now Rosamund had meant to go wherever they were going, merely because they evidently wished to be alone.  The abruptness of the check both irritated and amused her.

“If I knew anybody in the Bronx I’d make you take me there,” she said vindictively; “but as I don’t you may drop me at the Orchils’—­you uncivil creatures.  Gerald, I know you want me, anyway, because you’ve promised to adore, honour, and obey me. . . .  If you’ll come with me now I’ll play double dummy with you.  No?  Well, of all ingratitude! . . .  Thank you, dear, I perceive that this is Fifth Avenue, and furthermore that this ramshackle chassis of yours has apparently broken down at the Orchils’ curb. . . .  Good-bye, Gerald; it never did run smooth, you know.  I mean the course of T.L. as well as this motor.  Try to be a good boy and keep moving; a rolling stone acquires a polish, and you are not in the moss-growing business, I’m sure—­”

“Rosamund!  For goodness’ sake!” protested Alixe, her gloved hands at her ears.

“Dear!” said Rosamund cheerfully, “take your horrid little boy!”

And she smiled dazzlingly upon Gerald, then turned up her pretty nose at him, but permitted him to attend her to the door.

When he returned to Alixe, and the car was speeding Parkward, he began again, eagerly: 

“Jack asked me to come up and, of course, I let you know, as I promised I would.  But it’s all right, Mrs. Ruthven, because Jack said the stakes will not be high this time—­”

“You accepted!” demanded Alixe, in quick displeasure.

“Why, yes—­as the stakes are not to amount to anything—­”

“Gerald!”

“What?” he said uneasily.

“You promised me that you would not play again in my house!”

“I—­I said, for more than I could afford—­”

“No, you said you would not play; that is what you promised, Gerald.”

“Well, I meant for high stakes; I—­well, you don’t want to drive me out altogether—­even from the perfectly harmless pleasure of playing for nominal stakes—­”

“Yes, I do!”

“W-why?” asked the boy in hurt surprise.

“Because it is dangerous sport, Gerald—­”

“What!  To play for a few cents a point—­”

“Yes, to play for anything.  And as far as that goes there will be no such play as you imagine.”

“Yes, there will—­I beg your pardon—­but Jack Ruthven said so—­”

“Gerald, listen to me.  A bo—­a man like yourself has no business playing with people whose losses never interfere with their appetites next day.  A business man has no right to play such a game, anyway.  I wonder what Mr. Neergard would say if he knew you—­”

“Neergard!  Why, he does know.”

“You confessed to him?”

“Y-es; I had to.  I was obliged to—­to ask somebody for an advance—­”

“You went to him?  Why didn’t you go to Captain Selwyn?—­or to Mr. Gerard?”