The thing would have to be accomplished little by little.

At times she had misgivings as to the honesty of the course she had adopted.

But nowadays, playing as he did with her only, Condy gambled but two or three evenings in the week, and then not for more than two hours at a time.

Heretofore hardly an evening that had not seen him at the round table in his club's card-room, whence he had not risen until long after midnight.
Condy had told young Sargeant that he had "reformed" in the matter of gambling, and intended to swear off for a few months.

Sargeant, like the thoroughbred he was, never urged him to play after that, and never spoke of the previous night's game when Condy was about.