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The Viscount had cast and lost, and his Grace won the second throw.
"It appears my luck is in," he remarked. "I will stake my beauty againstyour estates, Markham."
Sir Gregory shook his head, laughing.
"No, no! Keep the lady!"
"I intend to, my dear fellow. She is not your style. I begin to wonderwhether she altogether suits my palate." He drew out his snuff-box andoffered it to his host, and the other men finding that he was proofagainst their railing, allowed the subject to drop.
In the course of the evening his Grace won three thousand guineas--twoat ombre and one at dice--lost his coveted grey hunter and won him backagain from Wilding, to whom he had fallen. He came away at three o'clockin company with Fortescue, both perfectly cool-headed, although hisGrace, for his part, had imbibed a considerable quantity of burgundy,and more punch than any ordinary man could take without afterwardsfeeling very much the worse for wear.
As my Lord Avon's door closed behind them, Tracy turned to his friend:
"Shall we walk, Frank?"
"Since our ways lie together, yes," replied Fortescue, linking his armin the Duke's. "Down Brock Street and across the Circus is our quickestway."
They strolled down the road for a few moments in silence, passing alinkman on the way. Fortescue bade him a cheery good-night, which wasanswered in a very beery voice, but the Duke said nothing. Frank lookedinto his dark-browed face thoughtfully.
"You've had the luck, to-night, Tracy."
"Moderately. I hoped entirely to repair last week's losses."
"You are in debt, I suppose?"
"I believe so."
"To what extent, Tracy?"
"My dear fellow, I neither have, nor wish to have, the vaguest notion.Pray do not treat me to a sermon!"
"I shall not. I've said all I have to say on the subject."
"Many times."
"Yes--many times. And it has had no more effect upon you than if I hadnot spoken."
"Less."
"I daresay. I wish it were not so, for there's good in you somewhere,Tracy."
"By what strange process of reasoning do you arrive at that?"
"Well," said Fortescue laughing, "there's nearly always some good in thevery worst of men. I count on that--and your kindness to me."
"I should be interested to know when I have been kind to you--beyond thetime when I was compelled to teach you to leave me and my affairsalone."
"I was not referring to that occasion," was the dry answer. "I had notseen your act in that light. I meant well over the episode."
"You could not damn yourself more effectually than by saying that," saidhis Grace calmly. "But we wander from the point. When have I done you anact of kindness?"
"You know very well. When you extricated me from that cursedsponging-house."
"I remember now. Yes, that _was_ good of me. I wonder why I did it?"
"'Tis what I want to know."
"I suppose I must have had some sort of an affection for you. I wouldcertainly never have done such a thing for anyone else."
