Smyrna times., 1876-08-30

"A few won, of course, and Smith of
the - was one of them. The little beast
was as pleased as Punch, and kept sticking
halfcrowns on whichever color was not
otherwise backed, till he had quite heap
beside him. He was right enough, per-
haps, but it made me savage to SEQ tho
only cad there winning.
"' We'll, matters went on like this for a
goodish bit, and champagne was flowing
all over the place, when in walks Robert
son of the -th, who had just rcjoined from
sck-leave, surrounded by lot of his pals
"'As soon as he saw the arrival, the
fellow who was twirling the board gave a
little start, and became visibly paler. He,
however, kept on as usual, called the game
steadily-twenty, red even and over
raked up the winnings, and paid away a
few half-crowns, and was Just preceding
to give the crank another turn, when
Robertson, who had strolled quietly round
to his side of the table, cody showed him
on one side, and drawing the board over
W AAiA4AoCAlJ SlAACO OuG III u lOuu YOlCG
Gentlemen, allow me to explain the
mechanism of this swindle.'
"'There was, of course, tremendous
row Immediately. The rest of the gang
closed up from their outlying posts about
the room, and before you could say knife,
the whole of the money had disappeared.
Two n thraO nf fbo i I
get hold Of the board, and the mean beg.
gars who had been collaring their half
crowns backed them up, and wcro loud in
their cries of shame and order; but Robert
son stuck to the timber like a good un,
and being supported by his friends, soon
carried his point, and obtained hearing.
"' In two minutes the whole dodge was
explained and practically illustrated, so
that even the halfcrown fellows were
obliged to admit they were convinced.
"' This is how it was done: You know
the little partitions which divide the holes
the ball settles in from each other! Well.
these were all movable, and Robertson
showed us how, in the act of setting the
wheel going, while he whirled the ball in
the opposite direction, the fellow who op-
Grated could raise with his little finger
whichever partition he liked, to the extent
OF about a sixteenth of an inch above the
rest If he wanted black to win, all he had
to do was to elevate the partition in front
OF one of the red holes; and as the ball
kept on rolling round and round, it would
naturally and necessarily stop eventually
where 1T met most resistance, and thus re-
main in whichever color or number the
scoundrel had, as it were set it for. To do
this so as to avoid detection required. of
course, considerable sleight-ofhand; and
1t was on this account, no doubt, as Rob.
ertson pointed out, that though the gang
numbered some seven or eight in all, it
was invariably the same individual who
presided.
:" This explanation occupied some con-
siderable time, and caused, as you may
imagine, no end of sensation, particularly
among those fellows who had been losing
heavily, Immediately there arose a cry
for vengeance, and the only one of the lot
who could be found was forthwith seized
by dozen irate warriors, who with one
voice demanded satisfaction. The poor
wretch, a low-sized greasy man, tried in
vain to make himself heard, and shrieked
aloud for mercy. None, however, was
shown him; for first his hat was playfullv
kicked about, and then his coat was torn
Oft piecemeal, revealing remarkably dirty
under-garments. His waistcoat disappeared
next, and finally his trowsers and boots
vanished. His costume then consisted of q
dilapidated flannel shirt and filthy socks;
and it was lucky for him that these articles
were in such an uncleanly state, for it was
that fact alone which saved him from being
turned adrift on the streets of Aldersbot
as naked as he was born.
=" 1t wasn't bad lark, was It? But I
fargot to say, that in the fellows breast.
pocket there was wallet of ponderous di-
mensions, and in it number of cheoues
and bills, which q man, whose name |
won't mention, but whom you all know.
made a small bonfire of, on tray in the
center of the billiard table,
"'Well, 1 must say, said our Colonel.
who had been an attentive listner, that I
am surprised that you should have gone to
such place under any circumstances; but
to go SO soon after that terrible affair in the
North Camp
vi beg your pardon, sir, interrupted
the narrator of the story; but all this hap
pened the night after poor BIS death,
the particulars of which had not thon oozed
out. Had the circumstances which led to
his sad end been known, it would have
Jared much harder with the greasy man.
But it is satisfactory to know, isn't it, that
he did get some punishment
Herbert BIS cheques were probably
among those that were burned, for they
were never presented. Poor fellow II
tried hard, that fatal night, to get him to
stay at my quarters, but he insisted on 20.
ing home. If / had only known what was
about to happen But who can tell what