Edgar Wallace

“ When you and Mansar get married—bless you!"
He rose, and the sure foundation of his legs held him erect.
"A very good fellow, Mansar," he said and walked carefully to the door.
Before he could open it Gwenda had reached him. She dropped her hands upon his shoulders.
"Look at me, Chick," she said. "Do you think I should marry Lord Mansar?"
"Very nice fellow," murmured Chick.
"Look at me, Chick. Hold up your head. Is that why you drank?"
"Cocktails are not drink," corrected Chick gravely. ”

“ Chick hated the way Mansar and the girl paired off, leaving him to entertain Mrs. Phibbs, which meant leaving him alone, for she had developed a passion for gambling in five-franc pieces. He left that imposing lady at the roulette table and wandered aimlessly into the cercle priv in the trail of Gwenda and her escort.
The rich interior of the private club has a soothing effect upon disturbed nerves, but it failed signally to inspire Chick. ”

“ And with her return to strength she took a more cheerful view of life, and there seemed no urgent necessity for having that talk with Chick.
"I'm going into the gambling place," said Chick one afternoon.
"You mean the Rooms, Chick," said Gwenda. "You mustn't say 'gambling' at Monte Carlo."
Chick scratched his head.
"There are so many things you mustn't do here, Gwenda," he said. "You mustn't wish a man good luck because it brings him bad luck, and you mustn't enter the gam—the Rooms, I mean, with the left foot, and if you spill wine at the table you must dab a little behind your ears. ”

“ Mrs. Phibbs, who had never been farther abroad than Brussels, supported her as in duty bound, and prayed that Chick would not assent. He neither agreed nor disagreed. One evening he came into the flat and laid a bulging pocket-case on the table.
"I have arranged the passports and the tickets for Monte Carlo," he said masterfully. "The sleeping berths are reserved from Calais, and we leave on Sunday morning."
Gwenda was too weak to argue.
Illness is a great disturber of sleeping routine. Gwenda had dozed through the days and had spent many wakeful and thoughtful hours in the night. ”

“ He woke up when the chambermaid brought the tea. She was so accustomed to meeting, in the course of her professional duties, gentlemen who were such sticklers for style that they went to bed in evening-dress, that she made no comment. ”

“ He would just vanish. Pouf! Like that. Chick laughed at the smiling bar-tender.
"Something I thought about," he said.
"I don't think I should have any more cocktails, if I were you, sir," said the bar-tender. "The room is rather hot, and our cocktails are pretty strong."
"That's all right," said Chick.
He planked down a five-franc piece with unnecessary violence and walked steadily back to the Rooms, and the bar-keeper, looking after him, shook his head.
"He can carry it like a gentleman," he said admiringly. ”