"M. Duchaine!" I shouted in his ear. "Where is your daughter?"
"My daughter," he repeated in mild surprise. "Ah, yes; she has gone to New York to make our fortune with the system. You see," he continued with senile cunning, "she has taken away the system, and so I am not sure whether I can beat you. But make your play, monsieur." There was at least no indecision in the manner in which he set the wheel spinning.
I did not know what to do. I was fascinated and bewildered by the situation.
In desperation I thrust a gold-piece upon one of the numbers at the head of a column. The wheel stopped, and the ball rolled into one of its compartments. The old man thrust several gold-pieces toward me.
I staked again and again, and won every time. Within five minutes the whole heap of gold-pieces lay at my side.
The dotard looked at me with an expression of imbecile terror.
"You will give them back to me?" he pleaded. "Remember, monsieur, it was agreed that we should return the money."
I thrust the heap of coins toward him. "Now, M. Duchaine," I said; "in return for these you will conduct me to Mlle. Jacqueline."
He shook his head as though he had not understood.
"It is very strange," he said. "I do not understand it at all. The system cannot be at fault; and yet——"