“What you come here to say,” he began, “has reason. You come here with an idea which is right. Body and Soul you cannot part. Your Image without that one which belongs to Johnson and Company is a thing of evil. The Image we have locked in our treasure chamber is a thing of great beauty, and no more. You who desire the jewels cannot buy. We, to whom the jewels mean little, will not sell. Listen to me, young gentleman. I propose something.”
“Go on,” Gregory begged eagerly.
“You,” Wu Ling continued, “have a quality of the Chinese in you, or you would not have risked life for this adventure. You are gambler. Me too. I offer this. I will gamble with you for the two Images.”
Gregory Ballaston held his cigarette away from his mouth and stared at the speaker. Temporarily, at any rate, his nonchalance had left him.
“Are you in earnest?” he demanded.
Wu Ling nodded gravely. Gregory glanced towards the professor. The latter also inclined his head gently.
“If Wu Ling says so,” he murmured.
“Gamble! But how? What games do we both know?”
“There is a Chinese game,” Wu Ling began——
“Not having any,” Gregory interrupted drily. “I have heard of these Chinese games. What about poker?”