“Nor did I, Charlie,” she replied at once. “And I haven’t exactly taken a fancy to her, only I think--well, I think we have misjudged her to some extent.” “After the things you know she said about Cora?” “I don’t actually know she said them, because I didn’t hear her say them. After all, we were only told she said those things, and you know how people exaggerate.” Preston was silent. “I wish you wouldn’t play again, darling,” he suddenly exclaimed earnestly. “You have no idea how the craving to play can get hold of you. I hoped so much to-night that you would lose.” “Hoped that I should lose!” “Yes, so that you wouldn’t want to play again; so that you would grow disgusted with the game before it had time to get a hold on you.” “Ah! I know why that was,” she exclaimed, her brow clearing. “Jessica said that years ago you lost a lot of money. No wonder you hate playing now. I understand your being disgruntled. How much did you lose, Charlie? And why did you never tell me? And who told Jessica?” “I lost almost every shilling I had,” Preston answered, lowering his voice. “Otherwise I should be a rich man to-day, instead of comparatively a pauper. The gambling fever caught me first when I was staying in Port Said, with friends, and I was very lucky. It increased and increased until, though I lost again and again, I became absolutely reckless. I think the craze for gambling is the worst form of affliction that can befall any man. But I overcame it in the end, and because I overcame it when too late I want you to overcome it before you go further.” Yootha looked up into his face, and patted his cheek playfully. “Charlie,” she said, “I am going to play to-morrow--just to-morrow. I promised Jessica I would. And now I promise you that if I lose to-morrow I will never play again. Will that satisfy you? You know I always keep my promises.” “I suppose it will have to satisfy me,” her lover answered, kissing her. “But I hate your becoming intimate with Mrs. Mervyn-Robertson--you don’t know how I hate it. She is not the right companion for you at all.” “Oh, don’t be anxious,” Yootha replied, smiling. “I can look after myself, I assure you.” CHAPTER XXII. ANOTHER MYSTERY MAN. “You will let me, won’t you?” Jessica said coaxingly. She was addressing Yootha, begging her to let her take the place of the aunt who had been detained at the eleventh hour, and act as her chaperone during Yootha’s stay at Dieppe. “I know there have been times when you and Cora have not thought well of me, I never knew quite why,” she went on, “and I should like you to be able to assure Cora that she formed a wrong opinion of me. I always think someone must have told her things, and so prejudiced her against me.”