ked Don Luis, "that I wish to stake on one card
all that I have here, against what there is in the bank?"

"You do that," responded Currito, "by saying, 'I play _banco!_'"

"Well, then, I play _banco_," said Don Luis, addressing himself to the
count; "I play _banco_ on this king of spades, whose companion will to a
certainty turn up before his opponent the three does."

The count, whose whole cash capital was in the bank, began to be alarmed
at the risk he ran; but there was nothing for it but to accept.

It is a common saying that those who are fortunate in love are
unfortunate at play but the reverse of this is often more nearly the
truth. He who is fortunate in one thing is apt to be fortunate in
everything; it is the same when one is unfortunate.

The count continued to draw cards, but no _three_ turned up. His
emotion, notwithstanding his efforts to conceal it, was great. Finally,
he came to a card which he knew by the lines at the top to be the king
of hearts, and paused.

"Draw," said the captain.

"It is no use! The king of hearts! Curses on it! The little priest has
plucked me. Take up your money."

The count threw the cards angrily on the table.

Don Luis took up the money calmly, and with apparent indifference.

After a short silence the count said:

"My little priest, you must give me my revenge."

"I see no such necessity."

"It seems to me that between gentlemen--"

"According to that rule the game would have no end," said Don Luis, "and
it would be better to save one's self the trouble of playing
altogether."

"Give me my revenge," replied the count, without paying any attention to
this argument.

"Be it so," returned Don Luis; "I wish to be generous."

The count took up the cards again, and proceeded to deal.

"Stop a moment," said Don Luis; "let us understand each other. Where is
the money for your new bank?"

The count showed signs of confusion and disturbance.

"I have no money here," he returned, "but it seems to me that my word is
more than enough."

Don Luis answered, with grave and measured accent:

"Count, I should be quite willing to trust the word of a gentleman, and
allow him to remain in my debt, if it were not that in doing so I should
fear to lose your friendship, which I am now in a fair way to gain; but,
as I was a witness this morning to the cruelty with which you treated
certain friends of mine, to whom you are indebted, I do not wish to run
the risk of becom