"Not much. Are you?" asked Otterburn, fixing his keen grey eyes on the weak face of the young man. "Yes, rather. Only I always lose. I'm so unlucky." "Oh, you lose at Mrs. Veilsturm's?" "Yes. We play there on Sunday evenings. It's awfully jolly!" "It must be--for Mrs. Veilsturm!" retorted Otterburn, doubtfully, at once forming an unfavourable opinion of that lady; "but if you're so unlucky, you shouldn't play baccarat." "Oh, but I'll win when I get to be a better player." "Will you? I wish you all success. Do many people go to Mrs. Veilsturm's?" "Yes, lots. All the jolliest people in town. She's quite in the swim you know. You meet all sorts of pretty girls there." "Indeed! Not on Sunday evening, I presume?" "Oh, no; on week-days. I met that pretty Australian girl there last Thursday for the first time this season." "Eh? Miss Sheldon?" "Yes. Awfully jolly girl. Do you know her?" "Slightly," replied Angus, carelessly; "I met her once in Italy. She's quite the belle of London, I hear." "Yes, rather. And such a nice girl! No humbug about her. Lots of fellows want to marry her." "You among the number, I suppose?" said Otterburn, with an uneasy laugh. "Eh? Oh, no! There's not much chance for me. I've got no brains, and she doesn't care for fellows who can't talk, you know." "You're very modest, at all events," said Otterburn, feeling rather amused by this candid admission. "Oh, no, I'm not," replied Mr. Thambits wisely; "people think I'm a fool because I've got lots of money, you know. But I see further than they think. But about Mrs. Veilsturm--you'll call and see her with me, won't you?" "I don't know," said Angus, shortly; "perhaps." "She's going to have a fancy dress ball, soon," rambled on Mr. Thambits in a weakly fashion. "I'm going as a Crusader. How do you think I'll look as a Crusader?" "Oh, the usual thing, I suppose," replied Otterburn, good-naturedly suppressing a laugh at the idea of Dolly Thambits in chain armour. "I don't think any one at a fancy dress ball looks like what he pretends to be. I suppose Miss Sheldon will be there?" "Rather. Everyone in London is going." "Then I may as well follow the example of everyone in London," said Otterburn, quickly. "I'll call on Mrs. Veilsturm whenever you like." "Oh, that's jolly! But, I say, I've got to meet a fellow at the Carnation Club, you know. Jiddy, I'm going." "So am I," replied Mr. Jiddy, slipping off a chair where he had been seated like a whipped schoolboy under the severe eye of Mr. Laxton. "Thank you for telling me about your travels, Mr. Laxton; they're most entertaining." "It's more than you are!" growled Laxton, grimly. Dolly Thambits and his friend Jiddy took their departure, to the great relief of both Angus and Laxton, who were quite sick of their frivolous small talk and milk-and-water mannerisms. "Good heavens, Macjean!" said Laxton, when the door closed on the pair, "what the deuce do you have such fools here for?"