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Sowerby had a scheme for retrieving his lost fortunes, and setting himself right in the world, by marrying that rich heiress, Miss Dunstable. I fear my friend Sowerby does not, at present, stand high in the estimation of those who have come on with me thus far in this narrative. He has been described as a spendthrift and gambler, and as one scarcely honest in his extravagance and gambling.
In those gleaming hands, in the flying cards, in the whole intenseness of the gambler there showed the power and the intent to win. The crooked Durade had met his match, a match who toyed with him. If there were an element of chance in this short game it was that of the uncertainty of life, not of Durade's chance to win. He had no chance.
At any rate, something was the matter with him, and it was naturally imagined that he would have double cause to write home; and still more so for the reason, his uncle confessed, that he had foreseen the folly of a war conducted by milky cotton-spinners and their adjuncts, in partnership with a throned gambler, who had won his stake, and now snapped his fingers at them.
"It was the brightest, cleverest act of my life marrying you, Clotilda." "I might well say the reverse, Emerentius," she replied, complainingly. "It surely was not sensible for me, a young lady from such a genteel family, and so spoiled, to marry an officer whom the king ennobled upon the battle-field, and who possessed nothing but his captain's pay a fickle man, and a gambler, too."
I don't know why I'm saying this, but it was on my mind and I was half distracted when you came. She's in danger to-night, though at this minute. I don't dare to think of what may have happened, for she's risked everything to make reparation to Roy and his friends." "What?" "She's gone to the Sign of the Sled alone with Struve." "Struve!" shouted the gambler, leaping to his feet.
The gambler was truly a firebrand, and so well did he handle his people, so well did he stir them by his disgust and righteous horror at the employment of a sheriff in their midst, that by nine o'clock the camp was loud in its clamor for retribution to be visited upon those who had brought such a terror into their midst. Beasley's amiability grew. His bartender watched it in amazement.
"Of course it was," Bell replied. "Henson found out that Van Sneck was here, as he was certain to do sooner or later. He comes here to make inquiries and finds you; also he comes to spy out the land. Now, without being much of a gambler, I'm willing to stake a large sum that he introduced the subject of your old trouble?" "He invariably did that," Heritage admitted. "Naturally.
"I was beaten," he added lightly, in the tone of a gambler who has lost his money, "but you left some men on the field your victory cost you dear." "Yes," said Corentin, taking up the jest, "you lost your queen, and I lost my two castles." "Oh! Contenson was a mere pawn," said Jacques Collin scornfully; "you may easily replace him.
We heard the testimonies, and I turned to Ranney and said, 'Are you a Christian? He said, 'I am. I said, 'Get up, then, and tell the men what God has done for you. Now here I was a gambler telling this man to acknowledge God, and I did not do it myself! Ranney rose and turned all colors. He finally settled down to that style of talking which he alone possesses.
This conference at the "Cheval Rouge" had therefore the result of giving to la Peyrade, who was fully as sagacious as Cerizet, a secret fear, which, during the latter period of this daring game, so fired his blood and heated his brain that there came moments when he fell into the morbid condition of the gambler, who follows with his eye the roll of the ball on which he has staked his last penny.