It was painful to him to deprive any one of his lands and home.

He had even resisted accepting Siebenburg's reckless stake, but his obstinate persistence and demand could not be opposed.

The calumnies by which the "Mustache" had assailed the innocent Els Ortlieb haunted him, and many others had shown their indignation against the traducer.

Probably thirty gentlemen at the gaming table had been witnesses of these incidents, and if, to-morrow, it was in everybody's mouth that he, Heinz, had been caught at mid-night in an interview with the elder beautiful Ortlieb E, the fault was his, and he would be burdened with the guilt of having sullied the honour and name of a pure maiden, the betrothed bride of an estimable man.
And Eva! When he woke in the morning his first thought had been of her.

She had seemed more desirable than ever.