While they were talking there came a rap on their door which Frank threw open.
Just outside stood a young man with a flushed face and distressed appearance. He was dressed in a plaid suit, and wore a red four-in-hand necktie, in which blazed a huge diamond. There were two large solitaire rings on his left hand, and he wore a heavy gold chain strung across his vest.
"Beg your pardon, dear boys," he drawled. "Hope I'm not intruding."
Then he walked in and closed the door.
"My name's Bloodgood," he said—"Raymond Bloodgood. I've seen you fellows together, and you seem like a jolly lot. Heard you singing, you know. Great voices—good singing."
Then he stopped speaking, and they stared at him, wondering what he was driving at. For a moment there was an awkward pause, and then Bloodgood went on:
"I was up pretty late last night, you know. Had a little game in the smoking-room. Plenty of booze, and all that, and I'm awfully rocky to-day. Got a splitting headache. Didn't know but some of you had a bromo seltzer, or something of the sort. You look like a crowd that finds such things handy occasionally."
At this Frank laughed quietly, but Diamond looked angry and indignant.
"What do you take us for?" exclaimed the Virginian, warmly. "Do you think we are a lot of boozers?"
Bloodgood turned on Jack, lifting his eyebrows.