You're in luck to-day." The girl took the money, that was promptly paid down, and as she counted it over the dealer remarked, "There's a doubling game going on, and it's to be up to-morrow, sure." "What's the row ?" inquired the girl.
"4, 10, 40," said the dealer.
"Then count me in;" and she laid down five dollars on the counter.
"Take my advice and go ten," urged the policy-dealer.
"No, thank you! shouldn't know what to do with more than five hundred dollars.

I'll only go five dollars this time." The "writer," as a policy-seller is called, took the money and gave the usual written slip of paper containing the selected numbers; loudly proclaiming her good luck, the girl then went away.

She was an accomplice to whom a "piece" had been secretly given after the drawn numbers were in.
Of course this hit was the sensation of the day among the policy-buyers at that office, and brought in large gains.
The wretched woman who had just seen five hundred dollars vanish into nothing instead of becoming, as under the wand of an enchanter, a great heap of gold, listened in a kind of maze to what passed around her--listened and let the tempter get to her ear again.

She went away, stooping in her gait as one bearing a heavy burden.

Before an hour had passed hope had lifted her again into confidence.