of their tables, sleepy-eyed and listless. On tall stools
their lookouts yawned behind papers. One of these was a woman, young,
pretty, most attractive in the soft, flaring, flouncy costume of that
period. A small group of men stood at the bar. One of the barkeepers was
mixing drinks, pouring the liquid, at arm's length from one tumbler to
another in a long parabolic curve, and without spilling a drop. Only one
table was doing business, and that with only three players. Johnny
pushed rapidly toward this table, and I, a little diffidently, followed.

The game was roulette. Johnny and the dealer evidently recognized each
other, for a flash of the eye passed between them, but they gave no
other sign. Johnny studied the board a moment then laid twenty-two
dollars in coin on one of the numbers. The other players laid out small
bags of gold dust. The wheel spun, and the ball rolled. Two of the men
lost; their dust was emptied into a drawer beneath the table and the
bags tossed back to them. The third had won; the dealer deftly estimated
the weight of his bet, lifting it in the flat of his left hand; then
spun several gold pieces toward the winner. He seemed quite satisfied.
The gambler stacked a roll of twenty-dollar pieces, added one to them,
and thrust them at Johnny. I had not realized that the astounding luck
of winning off a single number had befallen him.

"Ten to one--two hundred and twenty dollars!" he muttered to me.

The other three players were laying their bets for the next turn of the
wheel. Johnny swept the gold pieces into his pocket, and laid back the
original stake against _even_. He lost. Thereupon he promptly arose
and left the building.

CHAPTER XII

TALBOT DESERTS

I followed him to the hotel somewhat gloomily; for I was now the only
member of our party who had not made good the agreed amount of the
partnership. It is significant that never for a moment did either Johnny
or myself doubt that Talbot would have the required sum. Johnny, his
spirits quite recovered, whistled like a lark.

We arrived just in time for the first supper call, and found Talbot and
Yank awaiting us. Yank was as cool and taciturn, and nodded to us as
indifferently, as ever. Talbot, however, was full of excitement. His
biscuit-brown complexion had darkened and flushed until he was almost
Spanish-black, and the little devils in his eyes led a merry dance
between the surface and unguessed depths. He was also exceedingly