"Bugg," he said; "have you any special engagements the next few days?" "Not as I knows on, sir," replied Tiger, innocently. Tony nodded his head. "Good," he observed, and without further comment he renewed his contemplation of the breakfast table. "There's the matter o' the stakes, sir," Bugg ventured to remind him. "'Alf-past twelve, sir, was the time Dr. Donaldson said they'd be payin' over." Tony again nodded. "That will be all right, Bugg," he said. "I will go down to the Club myself and collect the royal booty. I only hope Da Freitas will turn up personally. It would give me great pleasure to watch him writing out the cheque." He looked across smilingly towards Isabel, and saw to his amazement that she had suddenly gone as white as a sheet. CHAPTER VI PRICING AN HEIRLOOM Tony was so surprised that for a moment he remained just as he was. Then suddenly recovering himself he turned back to Bugg. "You had better go along and find yourself something to eat, 'Tiger,'" he said. "That haddock must be getting a little historical by now." Bugg rose to his feet with a grin. "I could shift a bit, sir," he observed, "an' that ain't 'alf a fact." "Tell the cook what you'd like," said Tony. "After last night she will do anything for you." He paused. "I want to see you again before I go out," he added. Bugg touched his forehead, and after making a respectful obeisance to Isabel withdrew from the room. Tony followed him to the door, and then closing it after him, turned back leisurely towards the table. Though she still looked a little pale and upset, the interval had obviously done Isabel good. "Is there anything the matter?" asked Tony kindly. She shook her head, with a plucky if rather unsuccessful attempt at a smile. "No," she said, "I--I didn't feel very well for a moment. It's nothing--absolutely nothing." She paused, her lower lip caught nervously between her small white teeth. "I don't think I ought to bother you any more," she added with a kind of forced calmness. "I think perhaps it would be best after all if I--if I found somewhere else to go to." Tony made a gesture of dissent. "It can't be done," he said gravely. "You see you are my lodger now, and you have got to give me a full week's notice." Then with a sudden change he went on: "You mustn't be selfish you know, Isabel. You can't float into people's lives out of Long Acre with all sorts of delightful suggestions of romance and mystery about you, and then simply disappear again the next morning. It's not playing the game. I should feel like a man who had been turned out of a theatre at the end of the first act." "You don't understand," said Isabel almost in a whisper.