"What what?" asked Rayton.
"Oh, it will keep," replied Marsh.
"Davy wants to know if four aces are any good?" suggested the doctor, winking at Rayton.
Benjamin Samson, torn with doubt, ventured three beans on the chances of his pair of kings. That started things briskly; but on the second round David Marsh went the limit. That brought things to a standstill, and the pool went to David without a challenge; but he showed his cards for all that.
"What I want to know is, who's marked this six of clubs?" he asked. "That's what I began to ask, a minute back," he added, looking at Doctor Nash.
"Four of a kind," murmured Samson enviously.
"But look at the six of clubs," urged Marsh. "Look at the two red crosses in the middle of it, will you!"
All got to their feet and stared down at the card.
"What's it for?" demanded David Marsh. "If it was marked on the back, now, it might be of some use. I've heard of such things."
"The marks weren't there last night," said Rayton, "for I was playing patience with this very pack and would have seen them."