"All right," said Oscar. Our hero was seemingly in a very complaisant mood. The men ascended to the top floor. Girard ushered his guests into a room which contained a full equipment for a game of draw. There were shaded lights, a polished table, and by touching a button he summoned a lackey to serve in attendance, and our seemingly half-boozed Oscar scanned the face of the lackey and perceived that indeed a very cunning game was being played. Cards, cigars, liquor, and all the paraphernalia were introduced, even to chips, and the game commenced. Our hero had started in to buy a big wad of chips, but he was restrained.
Indeed, the rascals were working the game for all it was worth in the way of a total blind, until the moment when they intended to open up.
The game had proceeded for about half an hour when the attendant entered the room and made a whispered announcement to Girard. The latter appeared to be annoyed, but said:
"All right, show them up;" and turning to his guests he added:
"It's awful annoying, but a couple of my friends, knowing my habit, have dropped in. They will want to come in the game."
"The more the merrier," said Oscar.
Thus he spoke, but he realized all the same that the chances for his escape were lessening. Two more men would make it five against him, including the attendant, whom our hero had set down as a "stool" in disguise, and the inquiry arose in his mind:
"What can their game be? They have certainly gone carefully about it and have made great preparations to do me; but how do they intend to do it?"
The two men were introduced into the room. They came in seemingly in quite a merry mood, but a moment later one of them fixed his eyes on our hero, stared in a surprised way and finally asked:
"Girard, where did you come across that individual?"