Since his regiment had been in India one young officer had shot himself, and three had been obliged to leave the army, and in all cases it was known that these had lost large sums to him; but the matter had been hushed up, as such scandals generally are in the army.

Still, the truth had been whispered about, and it was because none of the officers in his regiment would play with him that he had come habitually to the mess of the Pioneers; by which, his own regiment having been quartered in southern India until six months previously, nothing was known of his antecedents.
"We shall all have to be very careful, when you are looking on at our play, Bullen," one said, laughing.

"I hadn't given you credit for having such sharp eyes; and certainly Sanders did not, either, or he would never have tried his games on, while you were standing watching him." "I was not playing, you see," Lisle said, "and the players do not trouble about onlookers, but keep their attention directed to the dealer.

Standing there evening after evening, it was really easy to see what he was doing; for he, too, kept his attention fixed on the dealer, and paid no heed to us who were looking on.

He occasionally did look up at us, but evidently he concluded that we were only innocent spectators.