At their approach, the three at the card-table--two women and a man--turned to look at them, and the latter, a square-built, thick-set youth, wearing a pince-nez and possessing a quick, inquisitive manner, rose to his feet. "Mrs. Milbanke!" said Lady Frances, "this is Mr. Victor Luard! Miss Luard! Mrs. Bathurst!" Luard bowed; and the two women looked at Clodagh, each acknowledging the introduction after her own fashion. Miss Luard gave a quick, friendly nod, Mrs. Bathurst a slow and graceful inclination of the head, accompanied by a faint, insincere smile. "Are you a bridge player?" she asked, raising a pair of pretty, languid brown eyes to Clodagh's. "I wish so much you would take my place. I've been having the most appalling luck." Her glance wandered on to Serracauld, Barnard, and Deerehurst. "Ah, here is Lord Deerehurst!" she cried in a suddenly animated voice. "Lord Deerehurst, do come and tell me what you would have done with a hand like this!" She picked up her scattered cards, and began to sort them; then, with a graceful movement, she drew her skirts aside, and indicated a vacant chair that stood beside her own. Lord Deerehurst hesitated, lifted his eyeglass, and scrutinised her pretty pink and white face, then languidly dropped into the empty chair. At the same moment Clodagh, Serracauld, Luard, and his sister fell into conversation; and Lady Frances and Barnard moved away together towards one of the open windows. For a quarter of an hour the formation of the party remained unchanged; then a slight incident caused a distraction in the assembly. Clodagh--who had shaken off her first shyness, and was beginning to enjoy the conversation of her new acquaintance--heard the curtain at the arched entrance drawn back; and, looking round, was surprised to see two servants enter, solemnly carrying a table and a painted board, which they proceeded to set up in the middle of the room. Her wonder and curiosity were depicted on her face, for Luard looked at her quickly and interestedly. "Don't you know what that is, Mrs. Milbanke?" he asked. "Hasn't Barny told you of Lady Frances' famous roulette? Lady Frances!" he called, "come and initiate Mrs. Milbanke!" At the words, every one turned and looked at Clodagh. And Lord Deerehurst, with a murmured word to Mrs. Bathurst, rose and came round the card-table. "Are you going to tempt the gods?" he asked in his peculiar voice. Clodagh looked round, a little embarrassed by the general interest. "Well, I--I suppose I should like to see roulette played," she admitted guardedly. He bent his head, and looked at her with his cold, penetrating smile. "Ah, I see!" he said softly. "Judicious reservations!" But at that moment Lady Frances crossed the room, and pausing by the roulette-table, set the ball spinning. "Come along, people!" she cried gaily. "Fortune smiles!" They all laughed and strolled across the room.