138 A Sportsman at Large 



demoralizing but fascinating spot on nineteen occasions. 

 I have played almost every conceivable system on the tables 

 with good, bad and indifferent results. Believe me, good 

 my lords and ladies, there is nothing to it. There is no 

 system which can be relied on to " break the bank " even 

 temporarily. On the other hand, there are methods of play 

 as distinguished from hard and fast systems which offer 

 the player a very good chance of a reasonable percentage of 

 profit on capital risked. 



After years of study, I evolved one such, which, for three 

 seasons in succession, enabled me to spend a delightful winter 

 on the Riviera, living like a fighting cock and thoroughly 

 enjoying myself at the expense of the administration ! 

 my capital being 300, and my average weekly profit 20. 

 Then came the War ! 



It must be remembered that the Bank always holds one 

 chance in its favour, and the longer the odds, the harder does 

 that " commission " press ! 



But the punter has one invaluable asset : 



He can leave off or commence playing at will ; whereas the 

 Bank is there to be shot at any old time ! Come profit or 

 loss to the administration, the ball of Fate must spin ! 



I could fill a volume with my experiences at " The Tables," 

 and the strange freaks of chance, both at roulette and trente 

 et quarante, which have come under my observation from 

 time to time ; but I must take a pull, for, in fancy, I can hear 

 some luckless wight, who has persevered with my rambling 

 reminiscences up to this point, mumbling to himself : 



" Hold hard, good Master Cockie ! Here you are again, 

 right off the line ! You set your pen to work on trap-shooting, 

 and now you have left pigeons in favour of punters. Get 

 a move on ! " 



Patience, dear sir (or madam), I make' reply. It was 

 impossible to arrive at the subject in hand, and my initial 

 connection therewith, without recalling this particular visit 

 to " Monte " ; for it was during the occasion in question 

 that I had my first glimpse of " Le Tir aux pigeons." And 

 surely I could not let it pass without touching lightly on 

 the temple of " The Goddess of Chance ! " 



