"I suppose," he remarked, suddenly, "that I'm not making any mistake? You do wish to marry Delia, don't you, Mr. Staunton?"
For a moment that gentleman seemed to find difficulty in speaking. Then—"Of course," he muttered. "Of course."
"Good!" said Massingham. "Then we'll cut. Ace low—low wins."
He put the pack on a small table by the other man: then he turned away.
"Cut—please."
"But, Hugh," his wife laid her hand on his arm, "it's impossible—it's——"
"Not at all, Delia. It's all quite simple. Have you cut?"
"I've cut the King of Hearts." Staunton was standing up. "So it looks as if I lose." His voice seemed hardly to indicate that the blow had prostrated him.
Massingham turned round, while his wife's breath came sharply.
"It does—undoubtedly," he remarked. "Yes—mine's the two of clubs. So you come, Delia." He broke off abruptly, his eyes fixed on the chair in which Staunton had been sitting. The next moment he stepped forward and pulled a card from the crack between the seat and the side. "The ace of diamonds," he said, slowly. "What is this card doing here? I don't quite understand, Mr. Staunton. Ace low—low wins—and the ace of diamonds in your chair. I didn't watch you cut—but did you not want to win?"