If I left everything to luck, and staked without any care or consideration, I was sure to win--to win in the face of every recognized probability in favor of the bank.

At first some of the men present ventured their money safely enough on my color; but I speedily increased my stakes to sums which they dared not risk.
One after another they left off playing, and breathlessly looked on at my game.
Still, time after time, I staked higher and higher, and still won.

The excitement in the room rose to fever pitch.

The silence was interrupted by a deep-muttered chorus of oaths and exclamations in different languages, every time the gold was shoveled across to my side of the table--even the imperturbable croupier dashed his rake on the floor in a (French) fury of astonishment at my success.

But one man present preserved his self-possession, and that man was my friend.