“Oh, Madame, English young ladies do such strange things!”

Sylvia wondered if the Count were not over-particular.  Was Lacville the sort of place in which a woman could not walk a few yards by herself?  It looked such a happy, innocent sort of spot.

“Perhaps I do not make myself clear,” went on Count Paul.

He spoke very quickly, and in a low voice, for they were now approaching the door of the Casino.  “Not very long ago a lady had her hand-bag snatched from her within a few yards of the police-station, in the centre of the town.  Everyone comes here to make or to lose money—­”

“But most of the people look so quiet and respectable,” she said smiling.

“That is true, but there are the exceptions.  Lacville contains more exceptions than do most places, Madame.”

They were now in the hall of the Casino.  Yes, there was Anna Wolsky looking eagerly at the great glass doors.

“Anna?  Anna?  Here I am!  I’m so sorry I’m late!”

Sylvia turned to introduce the Comte de Virieu to Madame Wolsky, but he was already bowing stiffly, and before she could speak he walked on, leaving Mrs. Bailey with her friend.

“I see you’ve already made one acquaintance, Sylvia,” said the Polish lady dryly.

“That’s the man who was so kind the last time we were here together.  He is staying at the Villa du Lac,” Sylvia answered, a little guiltily.  “His name is Count Paul de Virieu.”

“Yes, I am aware of that; I know him by sight quite well,” Anna said quickly.

“And he has offered to propose me as a member of the Club if I wish to join,” added Sylvia.

“I shall propose you—­of course!” exclaimed Anna Wolsky.  “But I do not think it is worth worrying about your membership to-night.  We can spend the evening downstairs, in the public Salle des Jeux.  I should not care to leave you alone there, even on a Monday evening.”

“You talk as if I were sugar or salt that would melt!” said Sylvia, a little vexed.

“One has to be very careful in a place like Lacville,” said Anna shortly.  “There are all sorts of queer people gathered together here on the look-out for an easy way of making money.”  She turned an affectionate look on her friend.  “You are not only very pretty, my dear Sylvia, but you look what the people here probably regard as being of far more consequence, that is, opulent.”

“So I am,” said Sylvia gaily, “opulent and very, very happy, dear Anna!  I am so glad that you brought me here, and first made me acquainted with this delightful place!  I am sure Switzerland would not have been half as amusing as Lacville—­”

* * * * *

The public gambling room was much quieter and emptier than it had been on the Saturday when Sylvia had first seen it.  But all the people playing there, both those sitting at the table and those who stood in serried ranks behind them, looked as if they were engaged on some serious undertaking.