“What numbers did you say? 4, 10, 40?” asked an old man, ragged and bloated, who came shuffling in as the last remarks was made.
“Yes,” answered the dealer. “This lady has been doubling, and as the chances go, her row is certain to make a hit to-morrow.”
“Ha! What's the row? 4, 10, 40?”
“Yes.”
The old man fumbled in his pocket, and brought out ten cents.
“I'll go that on the row. Give me a piece.”
The dealer took a narrow slip of paper and wrote on it the date, the sum risked and the combination of figures, and handed it to the old man, saying,
“Come here to-morrow; and if the bottom of the world doesn't drop out, you'll find ten dollars waiting for you.”
Two or three others were in by this time, eager to look over the list of drawn numbers and to make new bets.
“Glory!” cried one of them, a vile-looking young woman, and she commenced dancing about the room.