The sun., 1903-05-03

oups OF the wheel bearing number that
corresponded with one OF those straddled
! by the wadded bill
Nonchalantly the inan behind the wheel
picked up the crumpIsd greenbsck and
untangled the folds. II could be seen
that he had made an unpleasant discovery
even before he aaid In no pleasant tone
II Mr.. Grammercy Park was surprised
he doubtless was. because gentlemen are
loosely in their change pockets he gave no
indication OF II. but stood patiently watt
ing TO be seryed with the profits the invest
ment called for,
They were dealt out to him in three
worth s2S a chip; reds, two stacks or forty
chips, worth si0 each; total 5000 which
included payment Of tho $50 bet at IL 20 I
and the face Of the bet itself,
Mr. Grammercy Park. declining. a prof
unsteadily against the edge OF the table,
dipped deep with thumb and fingers into
one of the two red stacks, shortening It
by an inch or two, and placing the portion
he had removed upon another humber
Excuse me-" said the guardian Of the
wheel. you are beyond the limit. we do
not take above SIS on single number
you have $40 there"
M Gr.ppmsrsy nm Pc psrk .;9!., looked disgu.ted
Of blues. inquired their value, Informed
that they were worth 125 apiece, and that
there was no objection to his scattering
them upon a. many single numbers as he
pleased, he lifted the stack from the table
began to plaster the lower end Of the board
The warning click OF the falling ball above
caused him to desist from what proved
TO be a ridiculous sq9andering Of wealth
He had placed perhaps seven chips, or q
ball landed. and landed in one of the num-
bers he had, played, winning for the chip
there placed profit Of thirty-f -fve-fold.
or exactly 4875.
Again the man behind the wheel looked
distressed and fingered bis huge rack of
various colored ivory chips, as though
undecided in what form to make the pay-
ment. Presently from drawer in the rear
he extracted light brown ivory disk Of
unusual size--fully third larger than the
other chips, and technically known as a
marker.
as he pushed it over.
Mr. Gramercy Park bowed courteously,
but still refused to sit down. The flying
newed his play. He had time only to put
down two blue chips II proved TO be one
wasted; the other had struck the right spot
Another cartwheel check or marker was
laid upon the first One.
News of the mans heavy play spread
to the faro table across the room. and spec
tators gathered around the player.
1t may be difficult to credit the state
ment, but it is nevertheless true that in
five successive plays, with not more than
three blue chips on, the board at any time,
this wealthy clubman shit" the winning
number, and his average strike was ar all
times as good as one out of three rolls.
BY this process his little stack Of markers
grew until 1t had reached height Of fully
two inches. Then befell an accident. The
brandies and sodas which had been coming
in his direction throughout the evening
caused Mr.. Gramercy Park to become
bungling over his pile Of markers he knocked
at least half the pile upon the floor.
The yellow cartwheels rolled in various
directions on the velvet carpet. Not a
spectator but knew their rare valve-each
piece Of ivory worth es75. The value of
the chips was likewise we'll known to the
mulatto boy Henry, whose duty it was to
dust of departing guests.
Henry scrambled for those checks like
hen for chicks. and none escaped him.
When be arose from the floor he had them
in his yellow hand. nine of them worth ex-
actly $7,s75. ,..... ...-
Deferentially he extended them toward
Mr.. Gramercy Park. Then occurred what
may or may not have been accident; 1t is diff