“I wouldn’t play any more to-day if I were you,” whispered Captain Stuart. And again she obeyed him, stuffing all the money she had won anyhow into her pretty little bag.
And now M. Popeau began to play. The other two watched him—Angus Stuart with amusement, Lily with great curiosity.
“He always plays the same cautious game, for all he’s so fond of advising other people to put on full on one number!” whispered the young man in the girl’s little ear.
For a while Lily could not imagine what game M. Popeau was playing. He put the equivalent of thirty francs on the space marked passe and that of twenty francs on the first dozen. It looked to Lily as if he won every time—won, that is, something, somewhere. She couldn’t make it out!
“How does he do it?” she asked, puzzled. It was to her so strange that everybody didn’t play like Papa Popeau if he won every time.
“You see, he covers nearly the whole of the board,” muttered Captain Stuart. “He only loses right out when six numbers turn up out of the thirty-five. Even when zero comes he doesn’t lose everything, for the money he has on passe is only ‘put into prison,’ as they call it. Yes, it’s an ingenious system, and I often wonder more people don’t play it. Of course, if you go on long enough, you’re bound to lose—even at Popeau’s game.”
By this time the Frenchman was absorbed in his system, and the two young people moved just a little way away from the table. Their friend glanced up to see where they were, and then went on playing.
Lily was looking about her now with great amusement and curiosity. She felt in a happy mood. It was delightful to have won all that money—and so easily! It was very pleasant also to be with Angus Stuart. It seemed a long time since they had parted two days ago, he gripping her hand hard under the smiling eyes of the cab-driver.
“I should so like to come here in the evenings,” she exclaimed.
“The Club’s the place to see in the evening,” he answered quickly.