punter registered the amount of the stakes.

On reentering this apartment, Henri de Prerolles approached a sort of
counter, and, drawing from his pocket thirty thousand francs in bank-
notes, he exchanged them for their value in mother-of-pearl "chips" of
different sizes, representing sums from one to five, ten, twenty-five, or
a hundred louis. Paul Landry took twenty-five thousand francs' worth;
Constantin Unaieff, fifteen thousand; the others, less fortunate or more
prudent, took smaller sums; and about midnight the game began.




CHAPTER III

THE GAME

It began quietly enough, the two principal players waiting, before making
any bold strokes, to see how the luck should run. The first victory was
in favor of Henri, who, at the end of a hand dealt by Constantin
Lenaieff, had won about three hundred Louis. Just at this moment the two
women returned, accompanied by Desvanneaux.

"I had some difficulty in persuading our charming friends to return,"
said he; "Mademoiselle Dorville was determined that some one should
escort her to her own house."

"You, perhaps, Desvanneaux," said Henri, twisting up the ends of his
moustache.