"I wouldn't if I were sure.... I wish I had that thousand back; it drives me crazy to think of losing it--in that way--" "Oh; then you feel reasonably sure--" "No, confound it.... The backs of the aces were slightly rough--but I can scarcely believe--" "Have you a magnifying glass?" The pack has disappeared.... I meant to try that." "My dear fellow," said Malcourt calmly, "it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest to learn that Tressilvain is a blackguard. It's easy enough to get your thousand back. Shall we?" "How?" Malcourt sauntered over to a card table, seated himself, motioned Portlaw to the chair opposite, and removed the cover from a new pack. Then, to Portlaw's astonishment, he began to take aces and court cards from any part of the pack at his pleasure; any card that Portlaw called for was produced unerringly. Then Malcourt dealt him unbelievable hands--all of a colour, all of a suit, all the cards below the tens, all above; and Portlaw, fascinated, watched the dark, deft fingers nimbly dealing, shuffling, until his senses spun round; and when Malcourt finally tore up all the aces, and then, ripping the green baize cover from the table, disclosed the four aces underneath, intact, Portlaw, petrified, only stared at him out of distended eyes. "Those are nice tricks, aren't they?" asked Malcourt, smiling. "Y-yes. Lord! Louis, I never dreamed you could do such devilish things as--" "I can. If I were not always behind you in my score I'd scarcely dare let you know what I might do if I chose.... How far ahead is that little mink, yonder?" "Tressilvain?" "Yes." "He has taken about a thousand--wait!" Portlaw consulted his note-book, made a wry face, and gave Malcourt the exact total. Malcourt turned carelessly in his chair. "O Herbert!" he called across to his brother-in-law; "don't you and Helen want to take us on?" "Rather!" replied Tressilvain briskly; and came trotting across the room, his close-set black eyes moving restlessly from Malcourt to Portlaw. "Come on, Helen," said Malcourt, drawing up a chair for her; and his sister seated herself gracefully. A moment later the game began, Portlaw passing it over to Malcourt, who made it no trumps, and laid out all the materials for international trouble, including a hundred aces. The games were brutally short, savage, decisive; Tressilvain lost countenance after the fastest four rubbers he had ever played, and shot an exasperated glance at his wife, who was staring thoughtfully at her brother.