"Yes, that is it."
"And it cost you a fortune, and me a—husband. Is that it, my friend?"
"I can afford you if you will stop your meddling," he said coolly.
"I see; I am to stop my meddling and you are to continue your downtown gambling in your own house in the evenings."
"Precisely. It happens that I am sufficiently familiar with the stock-market to make a decent living out of the Exchange; and it also happens that I am sufficiently fortunate with cards to make the pleasure of playing fairly remunerative. Any man who can put up proper margin has a right to my services; any man whom I invite and who can take up his notes, has a right to play under my roof. If his note goes to protest, he forfeits that right. Now will you kindly explain to yourself exactly how this matter can be of any interest to you?"
"I have explained it," she said wearily. "Will you please go, now?"
He sat a moment, then rose:
"You make a point of excluding Gerald?"
"Yes."
"Very well; I'll telephone Draymore. And"—he looked back from the door of his own apartments—"I got Julius Neergard on the wire this afternoon and he'll dine with us."