Nick forced Godard to win by stealing, and the latter’s hand shook as if with palsy as he did it.
A rap from the cuekeeper followed, and then the announcement:
“Last turn!”
Nick resolved it should be the very last.
He placed his bet—and purposely lost!
Then he uttered a terrible cry, as if thrilled with sudden suspicion.
“Be the cues right? Be the cues right?” he roared, glaring fiercely at the startled humpback.
“Aye, sir——”
“Then lemme see them cards!” yelled Nick, with his swarthy face awfully distorted and his eyes blazing like fire. “Lemme see the cards. I say! —— you, Godard, there’s suthing wrong with them cards!”
The humpback leaped to his feet with a hoarse remonstrance, and while Nathan Godard, ghastly as a corpse, covered the cards with his left hand, his right went to his hip pocket.