“Your style’s all right, Andy!” Langham hastened to assure him.

“Well, it’s as good as yours any day!”

“Better!” said Langham, laughing.

“Well, what’s the matter with it, then?” persisted Gilmore.

“There’s a good deal of it sometimes, it’s rather oppressive—­” said the lawyer.

“I’ll fix that,” said Gilmore shortly.

“I would if I wanted what you seem to think you want,” replied Langham chuckling.

“Marsh, I’m dead serious; I’m sick of being outside all the good things.  I know plenty of respectable fellows, fellows like you; but I want to know respectable women; why can’t I?”

“If you hanker for it, you can; it’s up to you, Andy,” said Langham.

The gambler appeared very ingenuous in this new role of his.

“Look here, Marsh, I’ve never asked anything of you, and you must admit that I’ve done you one or two good turns; now I’m going to ask a favor of you and I don’t expect to be refused; fact is, I ain’t going to take a refusal—­”

“What is it, Andy?” asked Langham cautiously, “I want you to introduce me to your wife.”

“The hell you do!” ejaculated Langham.

The gambler’s brow darkened.

“What do you mean by that?” he demanded angrily.

“Nothing, I was only thinking of Mrs. Langham’s probable attitude in the matter, that was all.”

“You mean you think she won’t want to meet me?” and in spite of himself Gilmore’s voice sounded strained and unnatural.

“I’m sure she won’t,” said Langham with cruel candor.

“Well,” observed Gilmore coolly, “I’m going to put my case in your hands, Marsh; you come to my rooms, you drink my whisky, and smoke my cigars and borrow my money; now I’m going to make a new deal with you.  I’m going to know your wife.  I like her style—­she and I’ll get on fine together, once we know each other.  You make it plain to her that I’m your friend, your best friend, about your only friend!”

“You fool—­” began Langham.

Gilmore quitted his chair at a bound and strode to Langham’s side.

“None of that, Marsh!” he protested sternly, placing a heavy hand on Langham’s shoulder.  “I see we got to understand each other, you and me!  You don’t take hints; I have to bang it into you with a club or you don’t see what I’m driving at—­”

“I’ve paid you all I owe you, Gilmore!” said Langham conclusively.  “You can’t hold that over me any longer.”

“I don’t want to!” retorted Gilmore quietly.

“You kept your thumb on me good and hard while you could!”

“Not half so hard as I am going to if you try to get away from me now—­”

“What do you mean by these threats?” cried Langham.

The gambler laughed in his face.

“You’ve paid me all you owe me, but I want to ask you just one question.  Where did you get the money?”

“That,” said Langham, steadying himself by a mighty effort, “is none of your business!”