were beating
upon the table.

Berry bowed his acknowledgments.

As in a dream, I watched them send for more money.

When it arrived, they gave me four hundred and ninety pounds.

"_Hagan juego, Senores._"

Berry shook his head.

"Not this time," he said quietly.

He was right. After a look at '0' the ball ran with a click into '15.'

A long sigh of relief followed its settlement.

"You see?" said Berry, picking up fourteen pounds....

"Don't," I said weakly. "Don't. I can't bear it. The board's
bewitched. If it turns up again, I shall collapse."

"You mean that?" said Berry, putting the money on.

"_No va mas._"

"I do. My heart----"

"Then say your prayers," said my brother-in-law. "For, as I live, that
ball's going to pick out----"

"_Zero._"

I never remember such a scene.

Everybody in the room seemed to be shouting. I know I was.
Respectable Spaniards stamped upon the floor like bulls. The
Frenchmen, who with Berry and several others had backed the winner,
were clasping one another and singing the Marseillaise. The
beautifully dressed American was wringing Adele's hand. The old
gentleman in the blue suit was on his feet and appeared to be making a
speech. The Spanish girl was standing upon her chair waving a
handkerchief....

In vain the smiling croupiers appealed for order....

As the tumult subsided--

"Seven times in ten spins," said Berry. "Well, I think that'll do.
We'll just run up the board on the even chances...."

There was no holding him.

Before I knew where I was, he had set twelve thousand pesetas apiece on
'RED,' 'ODD,' and 'UNDER 19.'

Some fourteen hundred pounds on a single spin.

I covered my eyes ...

As the ball began to lose way, the hush was awful....

"_Siete_ (seven)," announced the spokesman.

With my brain whirling, I sought to garner the harvest....

My brother-in-law rose to his feet.

"One last throw," he said. "'_PASSE_' for 'The Poor.'"

He leaned forward and put the maximum on 'OVER 18.'

A moment later, counter by counter, four hundred and seventy pounds
went into the poor-box.

As I pushed back my chair, I glanced at my watch.

In exactly sixteen minutes Berry had stung 'the Bank' to the tune
of--as near as I could make it--four thousand nine hundred and
ninety-five pounds.

* * * * *

Some ten hours later we slipped out of San Sebastian and on to the
famous road which leads to Biarritz. Berr