“Do you think we are playing for life and death?” he exclaimed, with a wild laugh. “Come, Mr. Pelham, two thousand on this throw!”
With glittering eyes and teeth firmly set, Mr. Pelham assented, and won.
“Five thousand!” cried Sydney, and threw fourteen. “Ten to one in hundreds you do not beat it.”
“Done!” said Mr. Pelham, and threw sixteen.
“You must be most unfortunate in your love affairs, Mr. Pelham,” said Sydney. “How do we stand now?”
Mr. Pelham passed over to his opponent a sheet of paper with figures on it.
“Twenty-four thousand,” cried Sydney. “Enough to set up a house in Belgravia. I am weary of this work. One throw for the last—double or quits. Your last chance, and mine. Done?”
“Done!” said Mr. Pelham, with white lips.
Every man in the room suspended his game, and rose to witness this mad play.