very doors could not disturb. Men of all ranks and conditions, plainly
or elaborately clad, were grouped together under this magic spell of
silence and attention. The tables before them were covered with cards
and loose heaps of gold and silver. A clicking, the rattling of an ivory
ball, and the frequent, formal, lazy reiteration of some unintelligible
sentence was all that he heard. But by a sudden instinct he UNDERSTOOD
it all. It was a gambling saloon!
Encouraged by the decorous stillness, and the fact that everybody
appeared too much engaged to notice him, the boy drew timidly beside
one of the tables. It was covered with a number of cards, on which were
placed certain sums of money. Looking down, Clarence saw that he was
standing before a card that as yet had nothing on it. A single player at
his side looked up, glanced at Clarence curiously, and then placed half
a dozen gold pieces on the vacant card. Absorbed in the general aspect
of the room and the players, Clarence did not notice that his neighbor
won twice, and even THRICE, upon that card. Becoming aware, however,
that the player while gathering in his gains, was smilingly regarding
him he moved in some embarrassment to the other end of the table, where
there seemed another gap in the crowd. It so chanced that there was also
another vacant card. The previous neighbor of Clarence instantly shoved
a sum of money across the table on the vacant card and won! At this the
other players began to regard Clarence singularly, one or two of the
spectators smiled, and the boy, coloring, moved awkwardly away. But his
sleeve was caught by the successful player, who, detaining him gently,
put three gold pieces into his hand.
"That's YOUR share, sonny," he whispered.
"Share--for what?" stammered the astounded Clarence.
"For bringing me 'the luck,'" said the man.
Clarence stared. "Am I--to--to play with it?" he said, glancing at the
coins and then at the table, in ignorance of the stranger's meaning.
"No, no!" said the man hurriedly, "don't do that. You'll lose it, sonny,
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