Hay, very pale, but still keeping his countenance, tried to object, but the two young men seized and held him, while Miss Qian, with a dexterity acquired in detective circles, rapidly searched his pockets. "Here's another pack," she cried, and shook an ace and two kings out of the detected swindler's sleeve, "and these cards--" Sandal took one and went to the lamp. "Marked, by Jove!" he cried, but with a stronger oath; "here's a pin-prick." "You are mistaken," began Hay, quite pale. "No," said Tempest, coolly, "we're not. Miss Qian told us you cheated, and we laid a trap for you. You've been trying this double card and marked card dodge several times this very evening." "And he's tried it lots of times before," said Aurora, quickly. "I have been at several places where Hay scooped the pool, and it was all cheating." "If it was," said Hay, with quivering lips, "why didn't you denounce me then and there?" "Because I denounce you now," she said; "you're cooked, my man. These boys will see that the matter is made public." "By Jove, yes!" cried Sandal, with a look of abhorrence at Hay, "and I'll prosecute you to get back those thousands you won off me." "I never did--" "You've been rooking this boy for months," cried Miss Qian. "Here, Tempest, get a constable. We'll give him in charge for swindling." "No! no!" cried Hay, his nerve giving way under the threatened exposure; "you'll have your money back, Sandal, I swear." "Lord George to you now, you blackguard; and how can you pay me the money when I know you haven't got a cent?" "He intends to get it from the heiress," sniggered Aurora. "Oh, dear me!" rose the plaintive voice of the sheep-dog, "what is it, Aurora? Anything wrong?" "We've caught Hay cheating, that's all, and the police--" "Oh, Aurora, don't bring up the police." "No, don't," said Hay, who was now trembling. "I'll do whatever you like. Don't show me up--I'm--I'm going to be married soon." "No, you sha'n't marry," cried Tempest, sharply; "I'll see this girl myself and save her from you." "You can't prove that I cheated," said Hay, desperately. "Yes, we can," said George. "I, and Miss Qian, and Tempest all saw you cheat, and Miss Qian has the marked cards." "But don't expose me. I--I--" Hay broke down and turned away with a look of despair on his face. He cursed himself inwardly for having ventured to cheat when things, by the marriage with Maud Krill, would have soon been all right for him. "Miss Qian," he cried in a tone of agony, "give me another chance." Aurora, playing her own game, of which the two young men were ignorant, appeared to repent. She beckoned to Miss Stably. "Take Mr. Hay into the dining-room," she said, "and I'll see what I can do. But you try and bolt, Hay, and the news will be all over the West End to-morrow."