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The Gaming Table by Andrew Steinmetz, Volume II

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Thimble-Rig

Some years ago a curious case was tried, exemplifying the mode of
procedure. A Frenchman, M. Panchaud, was at Ascot Races, and he
there saw the defendant and several other 'gentlemen' betting
away, and apparently winning 'lots of sovereigns,' at one of
these same thimble-rigs. 'Try your luck, gentlemen,' cried the
operator; 'I'll bet any gentleman anything, from half-a-crown to
five sovereigns, that he doesn't name the thimble as covers the
corn!' M. Panchaud betted half-a-crown--won it; betted a
sovereign--won it; betted a second sovereign--LOST it. 'Try your
luck, gentlemen!' cried the operator again, shifting his thimbles
and pepper-corn about the board, here and there and everywhere in
a moment; and this done, he offered M. Panchaud a bet of five
sovereigns that he could not 'name the thimble what covered the
corn.' 'Bet him! Bet him! Why don't you bet him?' said the
defendant (a landlord), nudging M. Panchaud on the elbow; and M.
Panchaud, convinced in his 'own breast' that he knew the right
thimble, said--'I shall betta you five sovereign if you will not
touch de timbles again till I name.' 'Done!' cried the operator;
and M. Panchaud was DONE-- for, laying down his L10 note, it was
caught up by SOMEBODY, the board was upset, the operator and his
friends vanished 'like a flash of lightning,' and M. Panchaud was
left full of amazement, but with empty pockets, with the
defendant standing by his side. 'They are a set of rascals!'
said the defendant; 'but don't fret, my fine fellow! I'll take
you to somebody that shall soon get your money again; and so
saying he led him off in a direction thus described in court by
the fleeced Frenchman.--'You tooke me the WRONG way! The thieves
ran one way, and you took me the other, you know, ahah! You know
what you are about--you took me the WRONG WAY--ahah!'

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