The truth is, _our_ part of the loss is
pretty serious. The Casino didn't give us any of our capital, you know,
and we aren't rich. We've lost an awful lot this season. Monte Carlo's
been disastrous to us in every way."
"But I thought Lord Dauntrey had done well with his system?" Mary
ventured.
"Oh, the system!" Eve caught herself up, quickly. "Yes, that was all
right. Only we never made much, as he couldn't afford high stakes. But
he's so good-natured and generous. He lent money to others to gamble
with--I won't say _who_, though perhaps you can guess--and never got a
penny back. And some of the people we've had staying here ran up big
bills and skipped without paying them. We simply had to let them go, and
make the best of it. Oh, dear Miss Grant--Mary--this is a bad time to
ask a favour, I know, when my husband's just come a cropper with your
money, as well as his own; but I was never one to beat about the bush.
And you're a regular brick. You're in luck, and we're out--down and out!
I wonder--_would_ you be inclined to lend us--say, a thousand pounds,
just to tide over the few weeks till our dividends come? We'd give you
good security, of course. We have shares in South African diamond
mines."
"I think I might be able to do that," said Mary, who could not bear to
see Lady Dauntrey humble herself to plead.
"How good you are!" Eve exclaimed. "You're a _real_ friend, the only one
we've got. The rest are sharks, or cats. It--it won't run you down low
to let us have a thousand?" She fixed her eyes sharply on Mary, under
the shadow of her falling hair, which she brushed as if mechanically.
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