“That makes nine hundred pounds,” the young man said quietly, writing an IOU for that amount and handing it to Emerson. There was a general movement of the spectators, and two fresh players took the seats vacated by the late antagonists. “Who was the man standing behind Cotter's chair?” Mark asked Boldero. “That is Sir James Flash. He is just going to play, you see; it is sure to be another hot game, and an interesting one.” “Well, I think I will go,” Mark said; “the heat of the room has given me a bit of a headache. I will see you tomorrow, Dick.” “Good night, old man,” Chetwynd said; and, shaking hands with Boldero, Mark went downstairs immediately after Cotter. The latter went into the room below, drank off a tumbler of champagne, and then went down, took his hat, and went out. Mark followed him for a short distance, and joined him as soon as he got up into the Strand. “Mr. Cotter,” he said, “I have not the pleasure of knowing you personally, and I must introduce myself. My name is Mark Thorndyke, and I am the owner of an estate close to Reigate. Would you mind my exchanging a few words with you?” Cotter looked up, and was about to give a flat refusal, but the expression of Mark's face was so friendly and pleasant that he changed his mind and said in a hard voice: “I really do not know what you can have to say to me, Mr. Thorndyke, but of course I can hardly refuse to hear you.” They walked across the road and turned up a quiet street. “For certain reasons it is not necessary for me to explain,” Mark said, “I went to that place for the first time tonight, and I watched the play between you and Mr. Emerson.” “It does not matter, sir; I lost, and I am not going there again.” “I hope, on the contrary, that you will go there again, Mr. Cotter. If I mistake not, from what I heard, you have lost considerable sums to that man.” “I imagine, sir, that that is no business of a stranger.” “In no way personally,” Mark replied, not heeding the angry ring in the voice, “but as an honest man it does concern me. I am absolutely convinced, sir, that that money has not been won from you fairly.” The young man gave a start. “Impossible!” he said shortly. “Mr. Emerson is a man of good family and a gentleman.” “He is a man of good family, I admit, but certainly not a gentleman; his antecedents are notorious.” “I have never heard a word against him; he is intimate with Sir James Flash and other gentlemen of position.” “I am not surprised, that you have not heard of it; it was probably to the interest of several persons that you should not do so. Nor do I suppose that you are aware that Sir James Flash was himself expelled from White's for cheating at cards.” “Impossible!” Mr. Cotter replied.