"My right hand has lost its cunning."
"Play another?"
"Not to-day, you will have to excuse me," said Alfred.
Two gentlemen entered the room and approached Van Hoosen, one saying:
"Ah! Van, glad to see you. I want to make you acquainted with my friend, Lord Maltravers. Just arrived from England. He has brought a letter of introduction to me and tells me that he met your people in Paris."
Alfred shook hands with his friend, who was named Sinclair, and was well known as a banker in Wall street, while he bowed somewhat stiffly to the peer.
The latter placed a glass in his eye, and stared somewhat rudely at Van Hoosen.
"Pleased to know you, you know," he exclaimed. "But I thought you were out of form; your mother sent up for you, but you were indisposed; preferred playing billiards to seeing me, eh?"
"I can choose my own occupation, I guess," replied Alfred, who did not like his lordship's manner.
The tone in which he was addressed was offensive.