“Wonderiftheprofessor’sthereyet？“saidLin，andhewentacrosstherailroadtracks。Thebartendernoddedtohimashepassedthroughintothebackroom。Inthatplaceweremanytables，andtheflatclickingandrattleofivorycounterssoundedpleasantlythroughthemusic。Lindidnotjointhestud-pokergame。Hestoodoveratableatwhichsatadealerandaplayer，verysilent，oppositeeachother，andwhereonwerepaintedsundrycards，numerals，andthecolorsredandblackinsquares。Thelegend“Jackspay“wasalsoclearlypainted。Theplayerplacedchipsonwhicheverinsigniaoffortunehechose，andthedealerslidcardsquitefairlyfromthetopofapackthatlayheldwithinaskeletoncasemadewithsomeclampedbandsoftin。Sometimestheplayer’spileofchipsrosehigh，andsometimeshissumptuouspillarofgoldpieceswaslessenedbyone。Itwasveryinterestingandprettytosee；Linhadmuchbetterhavejoinedthegameofstud-poker。Presentlytheeyeofthedealermettheeyeoftheplayer。Afterthatslightincidenttheplayer’schippilebegantorise，androsesteadily，tillthedealermadeadmiringcommentsonsucharunofluck。Thentheplayerstopped，cashedin，andsaidgood-night，havingnearlydoubledthenumberofhisgoldpieces。
“Fivedollars’worth，“saidLin，sittingdowninthevacantseat。Thechipswerecountedouttohim。Heplayedwithunimportantshiftingsoffortuneuntilashortwhilebeforehistrainwasdue，andthen，singularlyenough，hediscoveredhewasonehundredandfiftydollarsbehindthegame。
“IguessI’llleavethetraingowithoutme，“saidLin，buyingfivedollars“worthmoreofivorycounters。Sothattraincameandwent，removingeastwardMr。McLean’strunk。
Duringthehourthatfollowedhisvoicegrewdoggedandhisremarksbriefer，ashecontinuallypurchasedmorechipsfromthenowsurprisedandsympatheticdealer。ItwasreallywonderfulhowsteadilyLinlost——
justassteadilyashispredecessorhadwonafterthatmeetingofeyesearlyintheevening。