"Let's go and have a little lunch and a good drink to wash out that vile stuff."

"Will you go with us?" said Girard.

"You must excuse me, gentlemen; I am a stranger. I cannot thrust myself upon you."

"It's no thrusting; we would be glad to have you join us. Thatford and I are no strangers in New York. Really, I am glad to have met you. I know a good fellow when I meet him. I am a sort of mind reader in picking out thoroughbreds."

"If you will excuse me, gentlemen, I will decline your invitation. I thought I'd drop around to the theater and see the closing act."

"That ain't a bad scheme. We'll go with you and have a little cold snack afterward."

As the men had invited our hero to accompany them he could not well refuse to permit them to accompany him, especially in view of the little plan he had settled to act in regard to them.

The three men did proceed to a theater, and our hero was surprised to see one of the men, Girard, bow to a very innocent-looking and beautiful girl who was in a private box in company with quite a stylish party.

Girard was a good-looking man and he dressed with faultless taste. No one would suspect him as a rogue on his appearance, and besides his manners were excellent--quite gentlemanly.

Oscar fixed his gaze on the fair girl between whom and Girard the nod of recognition had pa.s.sed, and as he stood there in the theater he revolved in his mind the singular facts. He wondered how a man of Girard's polished exterior should have been chosen to act the spy on a common confederate rogue.

Later he was destined to learn why Girard had been selected.

When the curtain went down on the last act Girard said:

"Thatford, you will have to excuse me to-night. I see a lady friend here. I may receive an invitation to dine with the party she accompanies."

"I won't excuse you," said Thatford.

"Our friend here will keep you company."

"No, you must go with me."

"Where will you go?"

"To the Brunswick."

"I may join you later."

Oscar discerned the fine play that was being worked on him. He fell to the whole business, and more keenly appreciated what an excellent actor the man Girard really was.

"I fear I will have to beg off," said Oscar.

"No, no, gentleman, this will not do. I am as hungry as a bear, but do not propose to sit down to a solitary meal. Come, Mr. Dunne, you must certainly be my guest."

"All right, sir, as you insist. I did intend to go home and retire early to-night, but recognizing how your friend here has deserted you I will go with you."

"I am obliged to you, and we will have a meal that shall amply compensate you. Girard will lose it, and when we tell him of our good time to-morrow we will make him green with envy."

"I may be with you. I am not sure yet I will receive an invitation from the other party."

"That chap," thought Oscar, "is a quick thinker. He knows how to take advantage of the slightest incident when he is playing a game. All right, he is a bright player. We shall see how to scheme against him."

Girard went away, and Thatford and Oscar proceeded to the Brunswick. The former became quite confidential after the first gla.s.s of wine, and his confidences were conventional and natural.

"My friend Girard is a great chap," he said, "one of the biggest-hearted fellows in the world. He is very rich and generous."

"He appears like a very generous man," said Oscar.

"He is just what he appears to be. He has but one weakness--he is excessively fond of draw."

"Yes," thought Oscar, "he is playing a big game of draw with me, and he expects to draw me into some sort of a web. Well, he may succeed; we can't tell, Mr. Spider."

Oscar did not speak out just what he thought, but said:

"I am partial to a little game myself under the proper conditions."

"What do you consider the proper conditions?"

"My companions in the game gentlemen, who, like myself, play for the sake of amus.e.m.e.nt, and not to win for the sake of the money."

"Then Girard is your man, and I think he has taken a great fancy to you, Dunne. He is a queer fellow in some things, but when he takes a fancy to a man, he clings to him, and is always ready to do a good turn."

"That is a good trait."

"Do you know, or rather would you suspect, that he was a poor orphan, and the architect of his own great fortune?"

"No, he acts to me like a man born to wealth."

"On the contrary, he is the son of Irish parents. He was born out West.

His father was a ne'er-do-well. Girard at the age of twelve started in to provide for his mother and brothers and sisters. He went to Chicago and got in with a firm on the produce exchange. He served them well for several years and saved money until he could speculate on his own account. He is an honorable fellow. He resigned his position the moment he started in to deal on his own account, and he moved right along, making little successes, until finally he had money enough to go in for a big strike. He caught the market just right and at the age of twenty-eight got out of business with half a million to the right side of his hank account. He then came on to New York, and here he has lead an easy life, just enjoying himself in a quiet way; and, as I said, his great weakness is poker. He don't play a heavy game, but loses with a good grace and wins with exceeding courtesy."

"I reckon he must be a pretty good fellow."

"He is, and hang me, if we are not going to have the pleasure of his company. That pretty girl did not ring him into her party, and he has come to make things pleasant for us. I am glad he is here."

Girard, looking as innocent and jovial as a "let her go easy," honest man, joined Oscar and Thatford, and started in with a pretty compliment, saying:

"Well, gentlemen, I got left, but I am stranded on a pleasant sh.o.r.e when my 'renig' sends me to such excellent company and such a bountiful repast."

CHAPTER V.

THE GAME GOES ON AND FINE PLAY IS DISPLAYED ON BOTH SIDES.

"Well, you are a good one," thought Oscar, and he mentally questioned whether or not he was coming out ahead of such a bold schemer, for the detective was well aware that the invitation business was a misleader--what is called a "fake." The fellow really intended to gain time to put up his job for "doing" our hero, in case it was decided that he was to be "done up." Herein Girard had the advantage. He had fixed his plan and our hero was going it blind, not having had time to arrange a trick against the one he well knew was being set up for him.

Girard sat down and commenced a lively talk. He spoke in glowing terms of the lady who had recognized him in the theater. Indeed, he was as jolly and pleasant as a man who had no evil design in his heart.