"Ten," I said, "and then ten of black and then ten on the red!"
He sprang to his feet with a sudden strange conviction in his manner.
"Twenty on the red! Ten on the black!" said he. "It's a sign. It may be, it must be a sign! I'm off!"
He tossed the sock back to me with a gay gesture and started away. But I was too quick for him. I caught him by the coat tails before he had gone twelve inches.
"Hey, my good man!" said I. "I'll just thank you to hand over that pistol before you go!"
"All right, you can have it!" he exclaimed lightly. "There you are. Don't do anything rash with it. I may need it later!"
He slipped the weapon into my reticule with an amazingly swift gesture, and before I could say "jiffy" he was gone in the direction of the casino.
Nervous excitement has always exhausted me more than physical exertion, and I have acquired the practice of taking a short nap wherever I may be when the occasion necessitates it. And so when the poor crazy man had gone and seemed little likely to return I settled myself for a cat nap, determined to compose my nerves and not allow my afternoon to be ruined by the disturbing incident. But though I roused myself at intervals and did a few stitches I must have drowsed much longer than I had thought to, for when I awoke thoroughly it was sunset.
I got out dear father's chronometer and was horrified to find the hour past six. Here I had been a public spectacle for goodness knows how long! I at once began to gather my things together, preparatory to leaving for the hotel when I perceived that there was a great to-do at the casino. People began pouring forth and cheering, headed by a wild figure in a black coat.