The sailor already had his hand beneath the coat. Great beads
of sweat were standing upon his brow. He trembled as though with
a fit of ague. Aloud he cursed himself for having taken the last
draw, for now his chances for escape were but three to one, whereas
Monsieur Thuran's had been five to one, and Clayton's four to one.

The Russian was very patient, and did not hurry the man, for he
knew that he himself was quite safe whether the 1875 piece came out
this time or not. When the sailor withdrew his hand and looked at
the piece of money within, he dropped fainting to the bottom of the
boat. Both Clayton and Monsieur Thuran hastened weakly to examine
the coin, which had rolled from the man's hand and lay beside him.
It was not dated 1875. The reaction from the state of fear he had
been in had overcome Spider quite as effectually as though he had
drawn the fated piece.

But now the whole proceeding must be gone through again. Once more
the Russian drew forth a harmless coin. Jane Porter closed her
eyes as Clayton reached beneath the coat. Spider bent, wide-eyed,
toward the hand that was to decide his fate, for whatever luck was
Clayton's on this last draw, the opposite would be Spider's. Then
William Cecil Clayton, Lord Greystoke, removed his hand from beneath
the coat, and with a coin tight pressed within his palm where none
might see it, he looked at Jane Porter. He did not dare open his
hand.

"Quick!" hissed Spider. "My Gawd, let's see it."

Clayton opened his fingers. Spider was the first to see the date,