“I must hold up for a while,” he thought. “I wish I could keep away from that damned faro place. My luck is dished lately. However, I’ll make that race square the accounts. If it don’t, I’m up a tree.”
He went down Jacob’s Ladder. Millard’s parlour was nearly as deserted as its namesake of political supporters. All the Millarders and the Nilvederes, with a decimation of outsiders and farthermores, were taking their constitutional perspiration bath in the dining rooms—tables having been turned out for the occasion. Trotting polkas, racking redowas, cantering waltzes, galloping galops—bipeds were being put through all their paces.
The old flirtations were going on swimmingly in the damp intervals of dance; and lo! a new one. Bob O’Link was for the first time devoted to Miss Anthrope. That strong-minded young person had, in the most feeble-minded manner, succumbed at once when Bob O’ suddenly and newly appeared in the ballroom and unanimously singled her out for a permanent partner.
“Miss Anthrope has decided to take a false position,” said Peter Skerrett to Gyas and Cloanthus, who were swabbing and drying off at the door.
“No! Has she, though!” said Gyas. “What is it? She looks to me as well on her pins as usual.”
“She is going to marry for money—that is the false position, a pillory that neither man nor woman ever escaped from. Well, Bob O’ will stand by her better than most fellows. Look at the chap. He is as sure to win in love, particularly the bought variety, as at billiards.”
“Stand by, Peter,” said Gyas; “I’m going to say a good thing. Miss Anthrope will be linked to Link, in the links of high man’s chain. Capital, isn’t it? Now, Clo, don’t you get ahead of me and say that to Julia.”
“Honour among friends,” returned Cloanthus. “I’ll take you odds, Guy, on Bob O’Link. Ten to one he gets her in ten days; five to one in five days; two to one on to-morrow—and even it’s done to-night.”
“You’d better save your money, boys,” said Peter. “Not that you’ll spend it in charity, but you’ll want it all to pay what you’ll lose on the race Belden is getting up.”
“There he comes now with Mrs. Budlong,” said Gyas Cutus. “By Golly, isn’t she a stunner! Belden looks deuced hard to-night.”