Brown jumped at the offer, and the money was accordingly deposited with the marker. "Now," said Brown, "you have not come across a 'duffer;' do your best!" Play commenced, and notwithstanding my having endeavoured by every possible means to win, I was defeated by three! This annoyed me very much, and Brown was exasperated that I should be beaten in this manner at my favourite game by a provincial. We now saw that my opponent stood in with the bookmaker in his bets; but this was to us quite immaterial so long as the marking was correct, which Brown took good care it should be.
The rumour spread by this time through the neighbourhood that billiards was being played for large sums of money, and the room became in consequence inconveniently crowded. Another game was proposed, and as I was anxious to win back Brown's money as well as my own, I consented, on condition that my opponent would give me points. This I scarcely expected would be granted.
"I think we are fairly matched," said my modest friend. "How many would you have the conscience to ask?"
"Can you give me ten in a hundred?"
"Impossible," replied my opponent. "I might as well give you the game."
The bookmaker here interposed, and persuaded him to let me have the ten points, offering at the same time to back his friend for £25, or any part of it!
Brown and I consulted, and as it seemed a certainty for me, the match was made. It is needless to describe the play here, but it was the most exciting of the series, and the betting equal. Suffice to say that, to my utter amazement, the game, with nine spot strokes, resulted in a victory for my opponent, my score being only ninety-five!
There was no help for it—luck was dead against us, and, like the comedians, Brown and I considered we had had enough of it—at least, for the present—and thought it prudent to retire. Before leaving, however, we learned the victor's name. His profession was that of a clerk in an insurance office. On striking a profit and loss account at the hotel we ascertained, to our dismay, that our evening's amusement had cost us £42! So much for Pattie Hastings and our trip to Liverpool.