After that furtive movement, he no longer showed any hesitancy as to his
course of action; but at once declared his willingness, as well as his
determination, to abide by the decision of the drawing.

"_Sacre_!" cried he, in answer to the challenge of the Irishman; "you
don't suppose, _Monsieur Irlandais_, that I should fear the result as
you propose it? _Parbleu_! nobody will believe that. But I'm a
believer in Fortune,--notwithstanding the scurvy tricks she has often
served me--even now that she is frowning upon me black as ever. Neither
of us appears to be in favour with her, and that will make our chances
equal. So then, I say, let us try her again. _Sacre_! it will be the
last time she can frown on one of us,--that's certain."

As O'Gorman had no right to alter the original programme of the lottery,
of course the dissenting voices to its continuance were in the minority;
and the general clamour tailed upon fate to decide which of the two men
was to become food for their famishing companions.

Le Gros still held the bag containing the two buttons. One of them
should be black, the other red. It became a subject of dispute, which
was to make the draw. It was not a question of who should draw first,
since one button taken out would be sufficient. If the red one came
out, the drawer must die; if the black, then the other must become the
victim.

Some proposed that a third party should hold the bag, and that there
should be a toss up for the first chance. Le Gros showed a disposition
to oppose this plan. He said that, as he had been intrusted with the
superintendence so far, he should continue it to the end. They all
saw,--so urged he,--that he had not benefited by the office imposed upon
him; but the contrary. It had brought nothing but ill-luck to him; and,
as everybody knew, when a run of ill-luck once sets in, there was no
knowing where it might terminate. He did not care much, one way or the
other: since there could be no advantage in his holding the bag; but as
he had done so all through,--as he believed to his disadvantage,--he was
willing to hold on, even if it was death that was to be his award.

The speech of Le Gros had the desired effect. The majority declared
themselves in favour of his continuing to hold the bag; and it was
decided that the Irishman should make choice of the _penultimate_
button.

The latter offered no opposition to this arrangement. There appeared no
valid grounds f