Page:Ralph Paine--The praying skipper.djvu/302

276 Brainard brushed him aside and feverishly sputtered: "Don't bother me. I'm playing for the biggest stake in the world. This is my day."

He snatched a fat roll of yellow-backed bills from Brown, and tossed it across the table to the splotch of red. Presently the croupier droned:

"Twenty-four wins, and the red."

The cashier counted Brainard's stake, piled up bills of equal value and shoved the bundle across the table. With tears in his voice Brown begged him to quit as Brainard made one more winning plunge and turned to his friend with a hoarse cry:

"I'm through. Damn it, come on! Let's count the plunder. I've won my freedom."

A few moments later Brainard divided somewhat more than five thousand dollars into two rolls and stuffed them into his trousers pockets. As the two young men passed out of doors, they were startled by the uproar of the wind. The palm crests were whipping to tatters with sibilant