ALL FROM FIVE FRANCS 



gaming-table as I went out, intending to throw it away 

 and not to think anything more of it. As a matter of 

 fact I didn't see the first coup, but on looking round 

 saw that there were two " cartwheels " where I had 

 only thrown one. I determined to leave them and the 

 stake went on doubling up until there were eight louis 

 or one hundred and sixty francs. Of these I left five, 

 taking off three for odd expenses. Again I won, and 

 yet again, but the second time at another table. 

 Then of course I had enough to join in a small 

 bank again. In another hour I had cashed in 

 twenty-seven thousand francs, which left me again 

 a good winner on the evening. It was a remark- 

 able performance and rivals many of the yarns one 

 hears about gamblers' luck, for it all came from that 

 five francs. If when I was having my brandy I had 

 met a friend or two I dare say I should have offered 

 them drinks and my five francs would have gone. 

 But such was my luck that I was left to drink alone ! 



It was in the autumn of that year that I had a great 

 deal to do with the preparation of the Count de 

 Bresson's grey horse Nabot. He was in the Cam- 

 bridgeshire with 7 stone. Nabot was then a three-year- 

 old and one of the fastest I had ever come across. It 

 had not been discovered whether he could stay well 

 enough, but one morning I gave him a fast gallop 

 over a mile, in which he came out well. It was there- 

 fore determined that Nabot should be sent to New- 

 market. He was at a real good price. In fact he 

 started at 20 to 1 owing to the run on the eventual 

 winner, Ballantrae. Although the latter won com- 

 fortably I have no hesitation in saying that Nabot 

 should have done so. His jockey, an American boy 

 named Thompson, riding in France, didn't know the 

 course well enough. In consequence the grey could 



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