Our hero had
started in to buy a big wad of chips, but he was restrained.
Indeed, the rascals were working the game for all it was worth in the
way of a total blind, until the moment when they intended to open up.
The game had proceeded for about half an hour when the attendant entered
the room and made a whispered announcement to Girard. The latter
appeared to be annoyed, but said:
"All right, show them up;" and turning to his guests he added:
"It's awful annoying, but a couple of my friends, knowing my habit, have
dropped in. They will want to come in the game."
"The more the merrier," said Oscar.
Thus he spoke, but he realized all the same that the chances for his
escape were lessening. Two more men would make it five against him,
including the attendant, whom our hero had set down as a "stool" in
disguise, and the inquiry arose in his mind:
"What can their game be? They have certainly gone carefully about it and
have made great preparations to do me; but how do they intend to do it?"
The two men were introduced into the room. They came in seemingly in
quite a merry mood, but a moment later one of them fixed his eyes on our
hero, stared in a surprised way and finally asked:
"Girard, where did you come across that individual?"
There was a tableau at once.
Pages:
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63