“I say, let me tell you once more, there’s the very wife for a lad like you. Why don’t you marry her? Just as sweet as a rose, and badly up against it.”
Hugh laughed and was glad of the diversion caused by the entrance of the Calderbrooks.
“Hullo! They’ve come back. I’ve missed them for some time,” he exclaimed.
“They were lying low. No money! Now they’ve got out some more and are starting in again. I’m told they’ve sold or mortgaged their property in England and taken an apartment here. In a few years’ time they will be just like all the other derelicts, haunting the Casino with no money to play, seedy, down at heel, sodden. You know the sort. Look around; you’ll see enough of ’em.”
Mrs. Calderbrook with a resolute look, was stalking in front; the girl Alicia, tall and slender, followed; the father with his wistful blue eye and drooping grey moustache trailed after them.
Hugh had heard that Alicia had been engaged to a young ex-aviator who had bought a ranch in Alberta. She had expected to have joined him as soon as possible, but Monte Carlo had thrown its spell over her. The thought of a lonely ranch on the prairie became unbearable and she broke off the engagement. She would probably never have another chance to marry.
To Hugh’s surprise he did not find MacTaggart in his usual place under the Three Graces, but instead, in his seat was Mr. Gimp.
“Yep,” said Mr. Gimp, sourly, “I’m old Mac’s deputy. Hate like hell to do this but he’s sick. He was getting out of bed, wanted to crawl down anyway, hated to lose his records. I made him go back and told him I’d take his place. It’s all damned rot, you know. I might as well put down any old numbers and give them to him. It would be the same in the end. Howsoever, I’m conscientious.”
“Is he very sick?”
“Nerves mostly. The success of your old friend, the professor, gave him a nasty jar. Kind o’ destroyed his confidence in his own system. Say, you want to tell the old boy to be careful. He was in this morning early, played five shots, and got the bulls-eye twice. Carried off over a hundred thousand francs.”