He had won between two and three hundred, and these winnings had been allowed by McKeever to accumulate in little runs, here and there.

For nothing encourages a gambler toward reckless betting so much as a few series of high hands.
He then begins to believe that he can tell, by some mysterious feeling inside, that one good hand presages another.

Jerry Smith had not been brought to the point where he was willing to plunge, but he was very close to it.
McKeever was gathering the youngster in the hollow of his hand, and Ronicky Doone, fully awake and aware of all that was happening, felt a gathering rage accumulate in him.

There was something doubly horrible in this cheating in this place.

Ronicky set his teeth and watched.