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〃Table closed！〃 called the croupier； and instantly the little ball began to spin。 All eyes followed it。 Round and round it went Aileen as keen an observer as any。 Her face was flushed； her eyes bright。
〃If we lose this；〃 said Lynde； 〃we will make one more bet double； and then if we don't win that we'll quit。〃 He was already out nearly three thousand dollars。
〃Oh yes； indeed！ Only I think we ought to quit now。 Here goes two thousand if we don't win。 Don't you think that's quite enough？ I haven't brought you much luck； have I？〃
〃You are luck；〃 he whispered。 〃All the luck I want。 One more。 Stand by me for one more try； will you？ If we win I'll quit。〃
The little ball clicked even as she nodded； and the croupier； paying out on a few small stacks here and there； raked all the rest solemnly into the receiving orifice； while murmurs of sympathetic dissatisfaction went up here and there。
〃How much did they have on the board？〃 asked Miss Lanman of McKibben； in surprise。 〃It must have been a great deal； wasn't it？〃
〃Oh； two thousand dollars； perhaps。 That isn't so high here； though。 People do plunge for as much as eight or ten thousand。 It all depends。〃 McKibben was in a belittling； depreciating mood。
〃Oh yes； but not often； surely。〃
〃For the love of heavens； Polk！〃 exclaimed Rhees Grier； coming up and plucking at his sleeve； 〃if you want to give your money away give it to me。 I can gather it in just as well as that croupier； and I'll go get a truck and haul it home； where it will do some good。 It's perfectly terrible the way you are carrying on。〃
Lynde took his loss with equanimity。 〃Now to double it；〃 he observed； 〃and get all our losses back； or go downstairs and have a rarebit and some champagne。 What form of a present would please you best？but never mind。 I know a souvenir for this occasion。
He smiled and bought more gold。 Aileen stacked it up showily； if a little repentantly。 She did not quite approve of thishis plungingand yet she did； she could not help sympathizing with the plunging spirit。 In a few moments it was on the boardthe same combination； the same stacks； only doubledfour thousand all told。 The croupier called； the ball rolled and fell。 Barring three hundred dollars returned； the bank took it all。
〃Well； now for a rarebit；〃 exclaimed Lynde； easily； turning to Lord； who stood behind him smiling。 〃You haven't a match； have you？ We've had a run of bad luck； that's sure。〃
Lynde was secretly the least bit disgruntled； for if he had won he had intended to take a portion of the winnings and put it in a necklace or some other gewgaw for Aileen。 Now he must pay for it。 Yet there was some satisfaction in having made an impression as a calm and indifferent； though heavy loser。 He gave Aileen his arm。
〃Well； my lady；〃 he observed； 〃we didn't win； but we had a little fun out of it； I hope？ That combination； if it had come out； would have set us up handsomely。 Better luck next time； eh？〃
He smiled genially。
〃Yes； but I was to have been your luck； and I wasn't；〃 replied Aileen。
〃You are all the luck I want； if you're willing to be。 Come to the Richelieu to…morrow with me for lunchwill you？〃
〃Let me see；〃 replied Aileen； who； observing his ready and somewhat iron fervor； was doubtful。 〃I can't do that；〃 she said； finally； 〃I have another engagement。〃
〃How about Tuesday； then？〃
Aileen； realizing of a sudden that she was making much of a situation that ought to be handled with a light hand； answered readily： 〃Very wellTuesday！ Only call me up before。 I may have to change my mind or the time。〃 And she smiled good…naturedly。
After this Lynde had no opportunity to talk to Aileen privately； but in saying good night he ventured to press her arm suggestively。 She suffered a peculiar nervous thrill from this； but decided curiously that she had brought it upon herself by her eagerness for life and revenge； and must make up her mind。 Did she or did she not wish to go on with this？ This was the question uppermost； and she felt that she must decide。 However； as in most such cases； circumstances were to help decide for her； and； unquestionably； a portion of this truth was in her mind as she was shown gallantly to her door by Taylor Lord。
Chapter XXXIII
Mr。 Lynde to the Rescue
The interested appearance of a man like Polk Lynde at this stage of Aileen's affairs was a bit of fortuitous or gratuitous humor on the part of fate； which is involved with that subconscious chemistry of things of which as yet we know nothing。 Here was Aileen brooding over her fate； meditating over her wrongs； as it were； and here was Polk Lynde； an interesting； forceful Lothario of the city； who was perhaps as well suited to her moods and her tastes at this time as any male outside of Cowperwood could be。
In many respects Lynde was a charming man。 He was comparatively youngnot more than Aileen's own ageschooled； if not educated； at one of the best American colleges； of excellent taste in the matter of clothes； friends； and the details of living with which he chose to surround himself； but at heart a rake。 He loved； and had from his youth up； to gamble。 He was in one phase of the word a HARD and yet by no means a self…destructive drinker； for he had an iron constitution and could consume spirituous waters with the minimum of ill effect。 He had what Gibbon was wont to call 〃the most amiable of our vices；〃 a passion for women； and he cared no more for the cool； patient； almost penitent methods by which his father had built up the immense reaper business； of which he was supposedly the heir； than he cared for the mysteries or sacred rights of the Chaldees。 He realized that the business itself was a splendid thing。 He liked on occasion to think of it with all its extent of ground…space； plain red…brick buildings； tall stacks and yelling whistles； but he liked in no way to have anything to do with the rather commonplace routine of its manipulation。
The principal difficulty with Aileen under these circumstances； of course； was her intense vanity and self…consciousness。 Never was there a vainer or more sex…troubled woman。 Why； she asked herself； should she sit here in loneliness day after day； brooding about Cowperwood； eating her heart out； while he was flitting about gathering the sweets of life elsewhere？ Why should she not offer her continued charms as a solace and a delight to other men who would appreciate them？ Would not such a policy have all the essentials of justice in it？ Yet even now； so precious had Cowperwood been to her hitherto； and so wonderful； that she was scarcely able to think of senous disloyalty。 He was so charming when he was niceso splendid。 When Lynde sought to hold her to the proposed luncheon engagement she at first declined。 And there； under slightly differing conditions； the matter might easily have stood。 But it so happened that just at this time Aileen was being almost daily harassed by additional evidence and reminders of Cowperwood's infidelity。
For instance； going one day to call on the Hagueninsfor she was perfectly willing to keep up the pretense of amity in so long as they had not found out the truthshe was informed that Mrs。 Haguenin was 〃not at home。〃 Shortly thereafter the Press； which had always been favorable to Cowperwood； and which Aileen regularly read because of its friendly comment； suddenly veered and began to attack him。 There were solemn suggestions at first that his policy and intentions might not be in accord with the best interests of the city。 A little later Haguenin printed editorials which referred to Cowperwood as 〃the wrecker；〃 〃the Philadelphia adventurer；〃 〃a conscienceless promoter；〃 and the like。 Aileen guessed instantly what the trouble was； but she was too disturbed as to her own position to make any comment。 She could not resolve the threats and menaces of Cowperwood's envious world any more than she could see her way through her own grim difficulties。
One day； in scanning the columns of that faithful chronicle of Chicago social doings； the Chicago Saturday Review； she came across an item which served as a final blow。 〃For some time in high social circles；〃 the paragraph ran； 〃speculation has been rife as to the amours and liaisons of a certain individual of great wealth and pseudo social prominence； who once made a serious attempt to enter Chicago society。 It is not necessary to name the man； for all who are acquainted with recent events in Chicago will know who is meant。 The latest rumor to affect his already nefarious reputation relates to two womenone the daughter； and the other the wife； of men of repute and standing in the community。 In these latest instances it is more than likely that he has arrayed influences of the greatest importance socially and financially against himself； for the husband in the one case and the father in the other are men of weight and authority。 The suggestion has more than once been made that Chicago should and eventually would not tolerate his bucaneering methods in finance and social matters； but thus far no definite action has been taken to cast him out。 The crowning wonder of all is that the wife； who was brought here from the East； and whoso rumor has