At this stage, Mr. Bundercombe, who was quite irrepressible, winked at me slowly. I took no notice of him whatever. "On the particular evening to which I refer," Captain Bannister continued, "it was suggested, by Mrs. Delaporte, I think, that we should go round to her rooms and play _chemin de fer_. There were five of us altogether--Mr. Bundercombe, Mrs. Delaporte, myself, a Mr. Dimsdale, and the Honorable Montague Pelham, a young gentleman of the best family. When we arrived at Mrs. Delaporte's rooms, however, it transpired that Mr. Bundercombe was wholly ignorant of _chemin de fer_, and the game was accordingly changed to poker. "In the course of the game I was shocked to detect Mr. Bundercombe cheating. For Mrs. Delaporte's sake I conceived it best to try and hush up the matter entirely. I looked upon Mr. Bundercombe as a card sharper of the ordinary type, and I simply blamed myself for having introduced him to my friends. I accordingly made some excuse to terminate the party." "Did any one else besides yourself," I inquired, "observe this alleged irregularity?" "Both Mrs. Delaporte and Mr. Dimsdale distinctly saw the very flagrant piece of cheating that first attracted my attention," Captain Bannister declared. "They understood at once the position when I suggested the termination of the game. Our party broke up hurriedly. Since that day I have not seen Mr. Bundercombe." I turned toward my prospective father-in-law. Mr. Bundercombe for the first time was looking a little annoyed. "Do you mean to tell me," he said, addressing Captain Bannister, "that both that young jay Dimsdale and Mrs. Delaporte saw me pass up that ace?" "Without a doubt," Captain Bannister assented, a little taken aback. "Guess my fingers must be getting a bit clumsy," Mr. Bundercombe sighed. "Well, well! There the matter is." "But, Mr. Bundercombe," I asked seriously, "what have you to say in reply to Captain Bannister's statement?" "Don't seem to me there's much to be said," Mr. Bundercombe replied. "But he accuses you of cheating!" I exclaimed. "Oh, I cheated all right!" Mr. Bundercombe admitted readily. Captain Bannister turned toward me triumphantly. "After that confession from Mr. Bundercombe before witnesses," he said, "I do not imagine that our case will require very much more proof." I was completely nonplussed--Mr. Bundercombe's confession was so ready, his demeanor so unalterably good-tempered. I went on to ask, however, what certainly seemed to me the most important question under the circumstances. "If you were content, Captain Bannister," I inquired, "to let the matter drop a few months ago, why are you here now?"