The Vaults of Blackarden Castle by Arthur Gask

NOW WHILE it may not have been exactly true, as the professor had wanted to make out, that Mangan was the bosom friend of Lieutenant Chester Avon, certainly of late a strong friendship, which the elder man took good care should not cool, had sprung up between them.

As the nephew of Lord Delamarne and heir to the barony young Avon was a most useful person to know, because it was through him that the major had become acquainted with a number of people of good social position who, upon occasions, were not unwilling to risk fairly heavy sums at cards. Of course, highly taxed as they all were, few of them had anything like the large incomes they once had had, but it was symptomatic of the times that so many of them were dipping deeply into their capitals to enjoy to the full the old pleasures and luxuries of the pre-war days.