g
back and forth at each other; the Dummy especially communicative,
continually scribbling upon his writing-pad, holding it toward the
others. But it was not necessary for them to put their replies in
writing--he understood from watching the movement of their lips. The
luck had not declared itself as yet; none of them had lost or won very
much. The bell-boy brought up the siphons. The Dummy took off his coat,
and the other two followed his example. They were all smoking, and an
acrid blue haze filled the room, making a golden blur about each gas
globe.

But little by little the passion of the gambling seized upon them. The
luck had begun to declare itself, alternating between Ellis and the
Dummy. Vandover lost steadily; twice already his bank had been broken,
and he had been forced to buy in. The play resolved itself into two
parts, Vandover struggling to keep up with the game on one side, and on
the other a great battle going on between Ellis and the Dummy. Long
since they had ceased to laugh, and not a word was spoken; each one was
absorbed in the game, intently watching the cards as they were turned.
The four gas-jets of the chandelier flared steadily, filling the room
with a crude raw light that was reflected with a blinding glare from the
four staring white walls, the room grew hot, the layer of foul warm air
just beneath the ceiling, slowly descending. The acrid tobacco smoke no
longer rose, but hung in long, slow-waving threads just above their
heads. They played on steadily; a great stillness grew in the room, a
stillness broken only by the little rattle of chips and subdued rustle
of the shuffled cards. Once Vandover stopped, just time enough to throw
off his vest, his collar, and his scarf. For a moment the luck seemed
about to settle on him. He was still banking, and twice in succession
he drew Van John, both times winning heavily from the Dummy, and a
little later tied Ellis at twenty when the latter had staked on nearly a
third of his chips. But in the next half-dozen hands Ellis got back the
lead again, winning from both the others. From this time on it was
settled. The luck suddenly declared openly for Ellis, the Dummy and
Vandover merely fighting for second place. Ellis held his lead; at one
o'clock he was nearly fifty dollars ahead of the game. The profound
silence of the room seemed to widen about them. After midnight the
noises in the hotel, the ringing of distant call bells, the rattle of
dishes fro