Perhaps he liked to feel her at his mercy.

She strongly suspected that he often deliberately prolonged the contest though he seldom allowed her to beat him.
To-night, however, he seemed to be in a restless mood, and she soon saw that he was bent upon a swift victory.

He made his moves with a quick dexterity that baffled her completely, and but a very few minutes elapsed before he uttered his customary warning.
"You would do well to beware." "Which means that I am beaten, I suppose," she said, with a smile of resignation.
"You can save yourself if you like," he said, with his eyes on the board, "if you consider it worth while." "I don't think I do," she answered.

"The end will be the same." His eyes flashed up at her.

"You surrender unconditionally ?" She continued to smile despite the sadness of her face.