Page:Marsh--The seen and the unseen.djvu/115

Rh sinuating smile, his hand. I put my hands behind my back.

"There is one other point, Mr. Burchell. I won from you and your friend nearly sixty pounds. I returned it to you on an imputation being made of cheating. I presume that imputation is now withdrawn!"

"Of course. It was only a joke."

"In that case I must request you to repay me the amount I won!"

The fellow looked a little blank.

"Isn't it rather a curious case?"

"It is exactly on that account that I insist on your refunding what you obtained from me by means of what looks very like a subterfuge. I intend to present the amount, as a memorial of what you very rightly call a curious case, to the Home for Lost Dogs."

"A joke may be made a little expensive," murmured Mr. Burchell, as he counted out the coin.

"And the laugh, after all, be on the other side," said Mr. Armitage.

"The laugh," I answered, as I received my winnings, "is with the curs."