his house.

Although Sir Wynston comported himself as if he were conscious of being
the very most welcome visitor who could possibly have established himself
at Gray Forest, he was, doubtless, fully aware of the real feelings with
which he was regarded by his host. If he had in reality an object in
prolonging his stay, and wished to make the postponement of his departure
the direct interest of his entertainer, he unquestionably took effectual
measures for that purpose.

The little party broke up every evening at about ten o'clock, and Sir
Wynston retired to his chamber at the same hour. He found little
difficulty in inducing Marston to amuse him there with a quiet game of
piquet. In his own room, therefore, in the luxurious ease of dressing
gown and slippers he sat at cards with his host, often until an hour or
two past midnight. Sir Wynston was exorbitantly wealthy, and very
reckless in expenditure. The stakes for which they played, although they
gradually became in reality pretty heavy, were in his eyes a very
unimportant consideration. Marston, on the other hand, was poor, and
played with the eye of a lynx and the appetite of a shark. The ease and
perfect good-humor with which Sir Wynston lost were not unimproved by his
entertainer, who, as may readily be supposed, was not sorry to reap this
golden harvest, provided without the slightest sacrifice, on his part, of
pride or independence. If, indeed, he sometimes suspected that his guest
was a little more anxious to lose than to win, he was also quite resolved
not to perceive it, but calmly persisted in, night after night, giving
Sir Wynston, as he termed it, his revenge; or, in other words, treating
him to a repetition of his losses. All this was very agreeable to
Marston, who began to treat his visitor with, at all events, more
external cordiality and distinction than at first.