What attracted attention to them was the large sum they invariably staked at every turn of the wheel which set the horses “running”; the recklessness of their play, and their extraordinary luck. Time and again they would come out of the Casino many hundreds, and sometimes many thousands of pounds richer than when they had gone in, and usually an _agent de police_ would meet them at the entrance and accompany them across to their hotel to prevent any possibility of their being robbed. Dieppe at that time was one of the few French seaport towns which could be visited by English folk without their being compelled first of all to comply with endless formalities, so that English people foregathered there in their thousands. It was not surprising, therefore, that when Jessica and her friends had been a week or two in the town they should suddenly come face to face in the Casino with no other than Captain Preston and his future wife. Instantly Jessica extended her hand. “I won’t say it is odd meeting you here,” she exclaimed, as she shook hands with Yootha, “because one does nothing but run across friends all day and every day, but I must say I did not expect to meet you, for I heard you were both in Monmouthshire.” “We left Abergavenny two days ago,” Yootha answered quickly, “and arrived here last night. Isn’t this a delightful place? I’ve never been here before.” “Is anybody with you?” Jessica asked. “An aunt of mine had arranged to come, but at the last moment she was detained through illness.” Though she felt exceedingly uncomfortable at meeting Jessica again, after all that had occurred, she deemed it wiser to appear friendly than to cut the woman--her secret wish. Jessica, on the other hand, seemed really glad to meet Yootha Hagerston once more, and Captain Preston, and when they had conversed for a little while she inquired where they were staying, and then invited them to dine, an invitation they naturally felt compelled to accept. The Royal Hotel was crowded with well-dressed people, many of whom went across to the Casino after dinner, among them Jessica, her friends, and her two guests. “I have been so lucky at _petits chevaux_ lately,” Jessica said as they all passed in. “I don’t want to influence you in any way, Yootha, but if you and Captain Preston like to play my game I believe you will win. During the three weeks I have been playing I have come away a loser only three times, and not on one occasion a heavy loser. I am between three thousand and four thousand pounds to the good on my three weeks’ play, and Louie and Archie won several thousands each. And yet not one of us has any system. It is just pure luck.” “I don’t think Yootha will play,” Preston, who had overheard Jessica’s remark, cut in. “Oh, but why not, Charlie?” the girl exclaimed in a tone of disappointment. “I have been looking forward so much to playing, though of course I am not going to gamble.”