"Yes," said Berry. "That's an exhilarating stunt, that is. Before you know where you are, you've got to put two hundred and fifty-six pounds on an even chance to get one back. With a limit of four hundred and eighty staring you in the face, that takes a shade more nerve than I can produce. I did try it once--at Madeira. Luck was with me. After three hours I'd made four shillings and lost half a stone.... Incidentally, when a man starts playing Roulette on a system, it's time to pray for his soul. I admit there are hundreds who do it--hundreds of intelligent, educated, thoughtful men and women. Well, you can pray for the lot. They're trying to read something which isn't written. They're studying a blank page. They're splitting their brains over a matter on which an idiot's advice would be as valuable. I knew a brilliant commercial lawyer who used to sit down at the table and solemnly write down every number that turned up for one hour. For the next sixty minutes he planked still more solemnly on the ones that had turned up least often. Conceive such a frame of mind. That wonderful brain had failed to grasp the one simple glaring point of which his case consisted--that Roulette is lawless. He failed to appreciate that he was up against Fortune herself. He couldn't realise that because '7' had turned up seven times running at a quarter past nine, that was no earthly reason why '7' shouldn't turn up eight times running at a quarter past ten. Heaven knows what fun he got out of it. For me, the whole joy of the thing is that you're flirting with Fate." He closed his eyes suddenly and flung back his head. "Oh," he breathed, "I tell you she's going to smile to-night. I can see the light in her eyes. I have a feeling that she's going to be very kind ... very kind ... somehow ..." We let him linger over the fond reflection, eyeing one another uneasily. It was, we felt, but the prelude to a more formidable attack. We were right. "I demand," barked Berry, "that I be allowed the wherewithal to prosecute my suit." "Not a farthing," said Daphne. "To think that that two hundred pounds is gone makes me feel ill." "That's exactly why I want to win it back--and more also." He looked round desperately. "Anybody want a birthright? For two hundred and fifty quid--I'd change my name." "It sounds idiotic, I know," said I, "but supposing--supposing you lost." "I shan't to-night," said Berry. "Sure?" "Positive. I tell you, I feel----" "And you," said Jonah scornfully, "you have the temerity to talk about praying for others' souls. You sit there and----" "I tell you," insisted Berry, "that I have a premonition. Look here. If I don't have a dart to-night, I shall never be the same man again.... Boy, I implore you----" I shook my head. "Nothing doing," I said. "You'll thank us one day." "You don't understand," wailed Berry. "You've never known the feeling that you were bound to win."