"That's the Bella Union, my chicken."
"I don't know any better now."
"Just go in there with a pocketful of gold-dust, like I did, and you'll find out, I reckon."
"Is it a gambling-house?" inquired Ben, rather excited, for he had heard much of such places, but never seen one.
"It's the devil's den," said the man bitterly. "I wish I'd never seen it."
"Have you been unlucky?"
"Look here, boy, jest look at me," said the stranger. "An hour ago I was worth a thousand dollars in gold-dust-took six months' hard work to scrape it together at the mines-now I haven't an ounce left."
"Did you lose it there?" asked Ben, somewhat startled.
"Well, I staked it, and it's gone."
"Have you nothing left?"