But Nick’s question was answered—he had lost again, just as he had planned.
Now he did not laugh. He jerked his chair quickly nearer the table, and ferociously yanked out his roll of money.
“Gimme two stacks this time!” he cried aggressively.
“Two goes, mister,” nodded Godard.
He raked in the bank-notes cast upon the layout, and set forth their equivalent in chips.
Yet he did not speak again, to add to his husky remark. He dared not trust his voice. It was nothing short of robbery, this that he was doing, and he felt that he could see his finish if he got caught cheating.
Nick looked and acted like a man who would fairly eat another, under such a provocation.
Then Nick went down upon the layout with every chip that he had bought.
This time he bet to win, thus forcing Godard to take a false card.
Nick’s object was to drive the man to a frenzy of excitement, when discretion would be overwhelmed, and then bring a climax that would evoke self-betrayal.