They sat together, he and Cleveland, as before. I observed that
there was now an expression of anxiety--not intense, but obvious
enough--upon the countenance of the latter. Philip, too, the mulatto,
stood on one side, contemplating the proceedings with an air of
grave doubt and uncertainty in his countenance. No such expression
distinguished the face of Kingsley. Never did a light-hearted,
indifferent, almost mocking spirit, shine out more clearly from
any human visage. At times he chuckled as with inward satisfaction.
Not unfrequently he laughed aloud, and his reckless "Ha! ha! ha!"
had more than once reached and startled me in the midst of my own
play, in the adjoining room. The opponents had discarded their
"pictures," They were absolutely rolling dice for their stakes. I
saw that the wallet of Kingsley lay untouched, and quite as full
as ever, in the spot where he had first laid it down. A pile of
money lay open beside him; the gold and silver pieces keeping down
the paper. When he saw me approach, he laughed aloud, as he cried
out:-"Have they disburdened you, Clifford? Help yourself. I am punishing
my enemy famously. I can spare it."
A green, sickly smile mantled the lips of Cleveland. He replied in
low, soft tones, such as I could only partly hear; and, a moment
after, he swept the stake before the two, to his own side of the
table. The amount was large, but the features of Kingsley remained
unaltered, while his laugh was renewed as heartily as if he really
found pleasure in the loss.
"Ha! ha! ha! that is encouraging; but the end is not yet. The tug
is yet to come!"
I now perceived that Kingsley took up his wallet with one hand
while he spread his handkerchief on his lap with the other. Into
this he drew the pile of money which he had loose before on his
side of the table, and appeared to busy himself in counting into
it the contents of the wallet. This he did with such adroitness,
that, though I felt assured he had restored the wallet to his bosom
with its bulk undiminished, yet I am equally certain that no such
conclusion could have been reached by any other person. This done,
he lifted the handkerchief, full as it was, and dashed it down upon
the table.
"There! cover that, if you be a man!" was his speech of defiance.
"How much?" huskily demanded Cleveland.
"All!"
"Ah!"
"Yes, all. I know not the number of dollars, cents, or sixpences,
but face it with your winnings: there need be no counting. It is
loss of time. Stir the stuff with your fingers, and you will find
it as good, and as much, as you have here to put against it. On
that hangs my fate or yours. Mine for certain! I tell you, Mr.
Cleveland, it is all!"