The Day of Days

ns seemed to have worn itself out, his more recent draught to have had no other effect than to steady his gratulate s

not so long as I'm able to kick,"

feel it quivering with impatience to get into action. After all, it was only seven hundred and thirty-five d

arite scornfully, "w

e of travelling if you can't

broke," he asseverat

own his nose, he saw

mbition to get rid of precisely seven hundred an

is first winnings, and exchanged one of his

th an ingenious smi

he croupier, grinning, "we

the little army of white chips-"you may give

he had lost two

e exchanged his last thirty-fiv

d dollars; in another ten, he had before him co

d privately-"it mus

ulder, and a quiet voi

s and urbanity; whose face was broad with plump cheeks particularly clean-shaven; whose eyes were keen and small and twinkling; whose fat hand (offered to P. Sybarite) was strikingly white and

believe?" pursued this pe

replied pleasantly, "you have the advantage of me..

e deposited four chips o

ield," the str

and cordially seized his hand. "

the hand,

r." With a slight smile Mr. Penfield nodded

, even," observe

Sybarite, blandly accepting counters t

-three," he reckoned; and shifted a maximum

Is Teddy going to

Mr. Penfield. "I shouldn't like to express an opinion...

ree, black

ve managed to divert myself amazingly while waiting.... Thank you," he added in acknowledgment of ano

d Mr. Penfield: "to-day is

shifting twenty dollars from the 13 t

n, black

spoiled my aim," P. Sybar

P. Sybarite made another wager. "Are you

second twenty gathered in to the benefit of the house. "But I've

or you," suggested Mr. Penfield.

e the maximum a hundred, and

?" Penfield nodded to the croupier; who (first paying P. Syb

ks of five: twenty-five dollars each. "It's an honour," he added, cov

y at that table ceased; and a gallery of patrons of the establishment gathered round, following with breathless interest the fortunes of this shabby little plunger. Their presence, far from annoying, pleased him; it was just so much additional assurance of fair play. The mounting of the roulette wheel-it was placed upon a broad sheet of plate-glass elevated

he felt any uneasiness or dismay on account of P. Sybarite's stead

and, instead of starting the ball on another race round its ebony run, dr

ources of Monte Carlo, this establishment nevertheless imitates its protective measures. A table losing twenty-five th

g, with a little bow. "But if you care for revenge,

rations," returned Penfield. "However, I ho

e P. Sybarite a tremendous accumulation of bills, old and new, of all denominati

genially. "Afterwards, I trust you will do me the

," said P.

and went downstairs. The remaining handful of patrons disappeared gradually, yet so quickly that P. Sybarite

he recovered his hat (at last) and descended, to