e, at length stood before a small door,
through whose key-hole issued a narrow stream of light, slightly
illuminating the thick gloom around him. Here he paused for a short
time to recuperate his exhausted energies, and to subdue the passion
that still somewhat agitated him. Then pushing open the door, he
entered the apartment.

It was a gaming-room. Six or eight small tables stood about on the
floor, at each of which, where the forgotten candles burned dimly over
the long and lengthening wicks, sat several men--some, with faces
brightly haggard, gloating over their unhallowed gains--others, dark,
sullen, silent, fierce, gazing furtively at their piles of lost money.
Here rattled the dice-box, and yonder fell the dirty cards--all were
busily engaged--all were motionless, save their hands and eyes--all
were hushed, save when they uttered solitary words to tell their bets.

David White had almost reached the centre of this room before any one
was cognizant of his presence; then, several looked up with a nod of
recognition, and once more bent themselves, pale, watchful, though
weary, to the duties of the game. The emotion which had so recently
agitated him was passed away, and his countenance wore the same
expression which most frequently lurked over it. Crossing over to a
table at the farthest end of the apartment from the door, he addressed
a few words to its occupants; assumed a vacant chair by its side, and
joined in the play. For hours he sat grasping the cards with trembling
avidity, winning and losing, apparently unmindful of either. But this
was merely the gilded outwardness--within, rankled fierce passions,
like the lightning in the summer-evening cloud. The night glided on;
its dank air grew fresher; the fire burned low on the hearth-stone;
the raging storm was hushed to stillness, and three was sounding from
the antique clock that adorned the mantle-piece. Save two men the room
was deserted. One by one the rest had stolen away, until these two
were its only occupants. The last stake of David White was in the
pool; the cards had been dealed, and the game was about to be played
which was to determine the ownership of the large pile of silver that
lay in the middle of the table. He had lost, won, and lost
again--doubled his bets--trebled them, until all had been swept
away--money, horse, and even his Bowie-knife. Then he had contrived to
borrow--won again, and now the last stake trembled in the scales. The
game w