While pausing he watched Dare's play.

He staked only five-franc pieces, but it was done with an assiduity worthy of larger coin.

At every half-minute or so he placed his money on a certain spot, and as regularly had the mortification of seeing it swept away by the croupier's rake.

After a while he varied his procedure.

He risked his money, which from the look of his face seemed rather to have dwindled than increased, less recklessly against long odds than before.