Part 15 (1/2)
”None of that, Perley. It was on Stuart's spot,” cried a harsh voice from behind the table.
”The needle was on the line,” protested Perley, reckless-looking and sadly young. ”I say, the needle was on the line, Reddy.”
He had missed the prize by a hair. Perhaps the bill he had laid down for this turn was his last. But a friend led him away, still muttering, by the arm, and the gap in the circle which his removal made was quickly closed. The man called Reddy gathered the pile of bills together, separated a small portion, which he swept into the till, and pa.s.sed the remainder to Stuart.
”Reddy runs things,” whispered Faught, not so low but that the bank-tender heard and looked the newcomer over suspiciously. ”Comes from the west, a desperado. Just the man to keep them down.”
”The bad blood breaks out sometimes?”
”Would if there wasn't a strong hand at the needle.”
There was certainly nothing weak about Reddy. He sprawled sidewise in his chair, with his left elbow on the table and his right arm free for a variety of uses--a big-boned ruffian with a sandy face and an eye apparently riveted on the disk before him, but really sweeping in the whole compa.s.s of the room. Overhanging eyebrows veiled these furtive glances. As a rule he spoke quietly, in a sepulchral ba.s.s, warning the players to adjust their stakes more evenly on the spots, or announcing the winners of the prizes. The recent jar with Perley was something uncommon in the mute and decorous chamber over which Reddy presided.
”It's a new game--roletto; simple as odd or even,” explained Faught. ”The circle is segmented off into black and white rays, or spots, as we call them----”
”And red?”
”Those are used, too. You see, they are numbered like the others. But they are specially colored for the game with the bank. In the ordinary game some one proposes a stake and puts it down on its lucky number. Then the rest follow suit. Would you like to try this round? It's only a $10 trick.”
”Very well.”
s.h.a.garach laid his stake down on one of the s.p.a.ces.
”That starts it. See them join in. Twenty-four s.p.a.ces, black and white, and twenty-three filled. My ten spot quits it out. Now thank your stars if you see that bill again.”
The gamblers stood near while Reddy reached toward the needle. A squad of grenadiers at attention would not be more rigid. They were frozen with suspense. But something paralyzed Reddy's wrist. He had caught the full glance of s.h.a.garach. It was several seconds before he twisted the pointer. For several more it spun around, gradually slowing up and coming to a rest over s.h.a.garach's number.
”Twenty!” called Reddy.
”Mine!”
s.h.a.garach coolly smoothed out the bills and folded them in his pocket, while the unsuccessful players eyed him greedily. Eleven-twelfths of the stakes went to the winner, and 2,000 per cent would be considered a fair profit in any speculation. But the return to the bank was still more liberal, being the steady harvest of two-spots. It was easy to see how the luxuries and free accessories of the Dove-Cote could be provided.
”Try again,” said Faught, shaking s.h.a.garach's hand.
”Perhaps that is enough for an experiment,” answered the lawyer, a little undecided still whether Faught were a decoy of the establishment.
”A hundred dollars even I come out whole to-night!” cried a voice at the door. It was Harry Arnold.
”A little quieter, gentlemen,” said Reddy, tapping on his desk. ”This isn't the stock exchange.”
”It's a more respectable place,” answered Harry, surrendering his wraps to a servant.
”I take you,” said several, picking up the gantlet he had thrown down. Faught had spoken first and Kennedy was chosen stake-holder. s.h.a.garach, meanwhile, had retired to a table in the corner and ordered some wine.
”One thousand to ten I break the bank,” called Harry as loudly as before.
”I will debar any man who uses that tone again,” said Reddy, never moving a muscle. His eyes were as cold and steady as the barrels of two Derringers in the hands of a Texan train robber, and the young bravo, though his lip curled, did not reply. His second bet was taken and the game resumed amid its former silence.
The losers repaired to the sideboard now and then and renewed their courage with stimulants, but one or two who called for brandy were told that no strong liquors were allowed. The little outbreak over Perley's protest showed the wisdom of this rule. Harry Arnold's purse seemed to be well lined to-night, for he led the play higher and higher.
s.h.a.garach held his winegla.s.s toward the chandelier, so as to s.h.i.+eld a searching glance at the young man's face. Under the artificial light it was brilliantly beautiful, the face of a man who could say to almost any woman ”Come” and she would follow him to the ends of the earth.
”Do you know young Arnold?” asked Faught of s.h.a.garach, who had just lowered his winegla.s.s. He began to take some notice of this large, quiet man, who, all un.o.bserved, was making the rounds of the room.
”By sight,” he answered, suppressing a yawn. ”You took his bet, I noticed?”
”Only a hundred, and as good as mine already. He's bucking the reds.”
”Gad, Harry, you have nerve,” Kennedy's pipe was heard exclaiming.
”I see you don't understand,” continued Faught. ”There are four red spots, you remember. Ordinarily these are not used. In the common game it is impossible for the bank to lose, though one of the players may win.”
He smiled in allusion to s.h.a.garach's maiden try.
”But sometimes the bank condescends to take a risk. Then the stakes are high. Each player lays a thousand opposite one of the four reds. If the needle stops over white or black, Reddy scoops the pot. But if it favors a red the man on the spot opposite gets $5,000 from the bank and the others quit whole. You see it's perfectly fair. Twenty blacks and whites and four reds, that makes the odds five to one against the players. So the bank, if red wins, quintuples the stakes all round.”
”But the bank twists the needle,” said s.h.a.garach.
”Oh, that's all open and above board.”
”Do you see Reddy looking down?”
”He is watching the checker board.”
”Why not a mirror under the table?”
”What would it show?”
”Two slender bar magnets crossed under the disk. His foot can rotate them so as to underlie any four of the spots; and the needle is of steel.” Faught opened his eyes.
”Bravo!” an exclamation burst from the crowd.
”That's number one,” Harry Arnold was heard exulting. Followed by Kennedy and the taker of his second bet, he crossed over to the bar.
”Has Arnold set the place on fire?” asked s.h.a.garach. It was said during a pause of the hum and he raised his voice. In one of the facets of his winegla.s.s he saw Harry, who had just pa.s.sed him, start and turn, but it was impossible to tell whether the expression of his face had altered. Certainly it was no more than a glance and he took no notice of s.h.a.garach. The lawyer's low stature diminished at a distance the effect of his splendid head and eyes, which were so powerful at short range. On the present occasion, if disguise were at all his purpose, this insignificance was useful.
”He has beaten the bank,” said Faught.
”A Pyrrhic victory,” answered s.h.a.garach, ”and a Parthian flight.” His companion rose and sauntered behind Reddy, but either the mirror was hidden or the bank-tender was too wary to be caught. Suddenly his harsh voice was heard again.
”Put that down, Perley.”
Every one looked in the direction of the youthful gambler, who had been the center of the dispute when s.h.a.garach and Kennedy entered. He had brooded moodily since his loss, sitting alone at a corner table, and was just raising a revolver to his temple when Reddy's command checked and bewildered him. Instantly Harry Arnold, who was nearest, wrenched his wrist and some one else secured the weapon. Perley writhed like a madman, so that it took several minutes to quiet him. When at last his contortions were helpless his spirit seemed to give suddenly and he burst into tears.
s.h.a.garach felt a deep pity in his breast. The youth looked weak rather than wicked. Possibly others, whom he loved, would suffer by his recklessness this night. An aversion to the whole tinseled exterior, gilding over soul-destroying corruption, came upon him and he longed for the sight of something wholesome and pure--if only a basketful of speckled eggs or a clothes-press hung with newly lavendered linen. But his purpose in coming was still unfulfilled, so he merely stopped the youth as he was pa.s.sing out in dejection, accompanied by a friend.