Thenceforth every move in the game he must play with the metal men would complete the circuit and send the biting needles through his frame.

It was delicately gauged, a nerve-racking discomfort without definite pain, a thing to snap the dreadful tension of a man's endurance at the end.
"Ah! Monsieur!" cried Jokai wildly.

"It is inconceivable--" "Play!" said Carl briefly.

White and grim his guest obeyed.
In terrible silence they played the game through to the end.
"Let me pour you some more whiskey," insisted Carl with infernal courtesy.

"Let us understand each other.