Page:Guy Boothby--A Bid for Fortune.djvu/55

Rh stranger on the other side. He was much more interesting. Indeed, I was surprised to see a man of his stamp in the house at all. He was tall and slim, but exquisitely formed and plainly the possessor of enormous strength. His head, if only from a phrenological point of view, was a magnificent one, crowned with a wealth of jet black hair. His eyes were dark as night and glittered like those of a snake. His complexion was of a decidedly olive hue, though as he sat in the shadow of the corner, it was difficult to tell this at first sight.

But what most fascinated me about this curious individual was the interest he was taking in the game that the other men were playing. He kept his eyes fixed on the board continually, looking anxiously from one to the other as a move trembled in the balance, smiling sardonically when his desires were realised, and sighing almost aloud when a mistake occurred.

Every moment I expected his anxiety or disappointment to find vent in words, but he always managed to control himself in time. When he became excited I noticed that his whole body quivered under its influence, and once when the smaller of the players made an injudicious move a look flew into his face that was full of such malignant intensity that I'll own I was almost frightened by it. What effect it would have had on the innocent cause of it all, had he seen it, I should have been sorry to conjecture.

Just as my lunch made its appearance the game arrived at a conclusion, and the taller of the two players, having made a remark in German, rose to leave. It was evident that the smaller man had won, and in an excess of pride, to which I gathered his nature was not altogether a stranger, looked round the room as if in defiance.