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Page 32
Once, however, he chanced to look up at her. Something in her face
must have impressed him. Turning, he flung down the cards in disgust.
"That's enough for to-night," he exclaimed, rising and
draining another glass on the tray.
"Luck will come your way soon again," urged Bella. "It all averages
up in the end, you know. It has to."
"How did you enjoy the evening!" insinuated Bella.
"Very much," replied Constance enthusiastically. "It is so exciting,
you know."
"You must come again when more of my friends are here."
"I should like to. But to-night was very nice."
Halsey looked at her contemplatively. She had risen to go. As she
took a step or two toward the door, still facing them, she found
Halsey at her side.
"Shall we go over to Jack's for a bite to eat?" he whispered.
There was as much of appeal in his undertone as of invitation.
"Thank you. I shall be glad to go," Constance assented quickly.
There was something about Haddon Halsey that interested her. Perhaps
Bella and Watson exchanged a knowing glance as she crossed the hall
for her wraps. Whatever it was, Constance determined to see the
thing through to a finish, confident that she was quite able to take
care of herself.
Outside the raw night air smote dankly on their fevered faces. As
they walked along briskly, too glad to get into the open to summon a
car, Constance happened to turn. She had an uncomfortable feeling.
She could have sworn some one was following them. She said nothing
about a figure a few feet behind them.
The lively, all-night restaurant was thronged. Halsey seemed to
throw himself into the gayety with reckless abandon, ordering about
twice as much as they could eat and drink. But in spite of the
fascination of the scene, Constance could not forget the dark figure
skulking behind them in the shadow of the street.
Once she looked up. At another table she could just catch a glimpse
of Drummond, of the Burr Detective Agency, alone, oblivious.
Never did he look at them. There was nothing to indicate that he was
even interested. But Constance knew that that was the method of his
shadowing. Never for a moment, she knew, did he permit himself to
look into the eyes of his quarry, even for the most fleeting glance.
She knew, too, that there must be some psychological reason for his
not looking at them, as he otherwise must have done, if only by
chance. It was the method followed by the expert modern trailer. She
knew that if one looks at a person intently while in a public place,
for instance, it will not be long before the gaze will be returned.
Try as she would, she could not catch Drummond's eye, however.
Halsey, now that the strain of the game was off, was rattling along
about his losses in an undertone to her.
"But what of it?" he concluded. "Any day luck may change. As for
myself, I go always on the assumption that I am the one exception--
unlucky both at cards and love. If the event proves I am right, I am
not disappointed. If I am wrong, then I am happy."
There was something in the tone of the whimsicality that alarmed
her. It covered a desperation which she felt instinctively.
Why was he talking thus to her, almost a stranger? Surely it could
not have been for that that Bella LeMar had brought them together.
Gradually it came to her. The man had really, honestly been struck
by her from the moment of their introduction. Instead of allowing
others, to say nothing of himself, to lead her on in the path he and
Mrs. Noble and the others had entered, he was taking the bit in his
teeth, like a high-strung race horse, and was running away, now that
Bella LeMar for the moment did not hold the reins. He was warning
her openly against the game!
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