This time Adolph looked at Grace; she returned his look with a smile, which seemed to say, "Well? Do you not know your lesson?" But only by me was this smile properly understood. "I am answerable for him," cried Adolph. "Enough said!" exclaimed Sydney. "Tell your cousin to bring plenty of money with him. I have lost a fortune, and must get it back from some one. Who will take the bank at roulette? I have a system which will win me at least a thou. to-night." But Sydney's system failed somehow, and instead of winning a thousand, he lost two. The next night Adolph's cousin was introduced. His name was Pelham. I cannot say what impression he produced upon others; I can only speak of the impression he produced upon me. I looked at him and said mentally, "This man is no gentleman;" and then again, "Of all the men I have ever met, this man is the one I would be the least disposed to trust." But he was cordially welcomed, because he was Adolph's friend and cousin. Our hostess paid him but slight attention, and this increased my suspicion of him. The following incidents occurred on this night. We were assembled round the roulette table. Mr. Pelham was the only one among us who was not backing a colour, or a number, or _paire_ or _impaire_, or _manque_ or _passe_. "Do you not play?" I asked. I was sitting next to him. "I am trying to understand the game," he replied. "Have you never been in Monaco?" I enquired. "Never," he said. I explained the points in the game to him, but he did not appear to take any interest in it. "What game do you play?" I asked. "Cribbage," he replied, "or ecartè, or all fours, or euchre, or poker. I have been in America." I proposed ecartè to him, and we sat down to a modest game. I offered to play for high stakes; he declined; and at the end of an hour I had won some fifteen pounds of him. Then we rose from our table, and watched the roulette players; but I was more employed in watching him than the turning of the wheel. He threw an occasional sovereign down, almost chancing where it fell, and he lost with a good grace. Others were staking their tens and fifties. Fifty was the limit; but he never exceeded his sovereign. "It is enough to lose at a time," he said. In the course of the night I calculated that he had lost about fifty pounds. He was one of the first to leave, and he scarcely touched 'our Queen's' hand as he bade her good night, and asked permission to come again. A permission graciously given. Now, the suspicion I had entertained towards him lessened when I considered how he had conducted himself, and but for a chance remark made by Sydney, and the incidents that followed, I should have accused myself of injustice. "We approve of Mr. Pelham," said Sydney to Adolph; "have you any more cousins?" The lad with a doubtful expression in his face looked at Grace, and as it seemed to me, taking his cue from her, replied, "No more."