had forgotten to claim the original louis which she had staked. Where was
it? What had become of it? As well try, she thought, to fish up a coin
thrown into the sea. She felt like a thief.

"There ought to be another louis," she stammered.

"It doesn't matter," said the man.

"But it does matter. You might think that I--I kept it."

"That's too absurd," he answered. "Are you interested in guns?"

"Guns?"

She stared at him. He appeared quite sane.

"I remember now I was thinking of guns when I went away," he explained.
"They're interesting things to think about."

"But don't you understand that I owe you a louis? I forgot all about it. If
my purse weren't empty I would repay you. Will you stay here till I can get
some money from my hotel--the Hôtel de Paris?"

She spoke with some vehemence. How could the creature expect her to remain
in his debt? But the creature only passed his fingers through his
upstanding hair and smiled wanly.

"Please don't say anything more about it. It distresses me. The croupiers
don't return the stake, as a general rule, unless you ask for it. They
assume you want to back your luck. Perhaps it has won again. For goodness'