More than once in the fortnight following upon his resolution he
had come up to the little flat on the Washington Street hill as to
a place of refuge; and Blix, always pretending that it was all a
huge joke and part of their good times, had brought out the cards
and played with him. But she knew very well the fight he was
making against the enemy, and how hard it was for him to keep from
the round green tables and group of silent shirt-sleeved men in
the card-rooms of his club. She looked forward to the time when
Condy would cease to play even with her. But she was too sensible
and practical a girl to expect him to break a habit of years'
standing in a couple of weeks. 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. The other men of his "set" were no less
thoughtful, and, though they rallied him a little at first upon
his defection, soon let the matter drop.
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