The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 85: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

68 REYNOLDS’ WORKS “Top of the house!’’ ejaculated one of the croupiers, distinguishing at a glance which bell it was that rung, and therefore from which quarter the alarm proceeded. Confusion and dismay seized upon the two young noble- men and the five or six least experienced individuals present, but the older hands, including the croupiers and the decoys, showed no bewilderment or excitement at aH; and though their actions were prompt, yet what they did do was done with calmness and self-possession. One of the croupiers took out all the bank-notes and gold from the cash-box, which he placed upon a shelf, securing the money about his person. ‘The other croupier and the decoys threw the tops of the rakes (which were immediately broken off), together with the ivory counters, the dice, and the dice- boxes, into the coffee-mill, where half a dozen turns of the handle served to grind all those objects if not actually to powder, at all events into morsels too small to answer the purposes of evidence before a magistrate. The borders or edges of the table were put up, cues and balls were simul- taneously produced, and by the time the police broke in, which they did in a very few minutes, the aspect of the scene was altogether changed. Not the slightest trace of an ordinary gaming-table was there, — merely a _ billiard- table at which several gentlemen seemed to be playing a quiet comfortable game, when the door was flung violently open and an inspector with half a dozen constables made their appearance. “Ah! you have been too quick for us, eh? ”’ ejaculated the inspector, with a glance embracing the aspect of things, and perfectly well aware of all that had been done. “ How- ever,’ he added, ‘‘ we will see if we can’t bring it home to you. Keep the door, lads.”’ ‘What do you mean by coming into a respectable house like this? ’’ demanded the head ecroupier, assuming the indignant. ‘Come, Mr. Jameson, none of your nonsense,” said the inspector. ‘‘ You know very well that I am acquainted with you and up to all your dodges. Respectable house indeed! Very respectable, when it’s so barricaded down below that we are obliged to force our way in by the attics, and even there you have got a man posted on the lookout. I suppose you will have an electric telegraph laid on next? ” COMMICLOOOLKS. EC)