, fat man, and it was amazing to see with what deference his
victims treated him. He affected not to have heard what DeLong said,
but I could imagine what he was thinking, for I had heard that he had
scant sympathy with anyone after he "went broke"--another evidence of
the camaraderie and good-fellowship that surrounded the game.

Kennedy's next remark surprised me. "Oh, your luck will change,
D.L.,"--everyone referred to him as "D.L.," for gambling-houses have
an aversion for real names and greatly prefer initials--"your luck
will change presently. Keep right on with your system. It's the best
you can do to-night, short of quitting."

"I'll never quit." replied the young man under his breath.

Meanwhile Kennedy and I paused on the way out to compare notes. My
report of the behavior of the compass only confirmed him in his
opinion.

As we turned to the stairs we took in a full view of the room.

A faro-layout was purchasing Senator Danfield a new touring-car every
hour at the expense of the players. Another group was gathered about
the hazard-board, deriving evident excitement, though I am sure none
could have given an intelligent account of the chances they were
taking. Two roulette-tables were now going full blast, the larger
crowd still about DeLong's. Snatches of conversation came to us now
and then, and I caught one sentence, "DeLong's in for over a hundred
thousand now on the week's play, I understand; poor boy--that about
cleans him up."

"The tragedy of it, Craig," I whispered, but he did not hear.

With his hat tilted at a rakish angle and his opera-coat over his arm
he sauntered over for a last look.

"Any luck yet?" he asked carelessly.

"The devil--no," returned the boy.

"Do you know what my advice to you is, the advice of a man who has
seen high play everywhere from Monte Carlo to Shanghai?"

"What?"

"Play until your luck changes if it takes until to-morrow."

A supercilious smile crossed Senator Danfield's fat face.

"I intend to," and the haggard young face turned again to the table
and forgot us.

"For Heaven's sake, Kennedy," I gasped as we went down the stairway,
"what do you mean by giving him such advice--you?"

"Not so loud, Walter. He'd have done it anyhow, I suppose, but I want
him to keep at it. This night means life or death to Percival DeLong
and his mother, too. Come on, let's get out of this."

We passed the formidable steel door and gained the street, jostled by
the l