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’Ah, it’s not luck,’ the gambler replied ’Most days I could beat that lot of peasants, but I have run out of rubles!

’Do you want to sell your coat?’ asked Wladek

The ga a good, old, thick bearskin coat He stared at the youth

’Looking at that suit I’d say you couldn’t afford it, boy! Wladek could tell from the man’s voice that he hoped he could ’I would want seventy - five rublive you forty,’ said Wladek

’Sixty,’ said the gambler

’Fifty,’said Wladek

’No Sixty is the least I’d let it go for; it cost over a hundred,’said the gao,’ said Wladek, as he considered the i of his coat in order to secure the full a - ,o as it would only draw further attention to himself; he would have to wait for another opportunity Wladek was not willing to show he could not afford the coat, and he - touched the collar of the garment and said, with considerable disdain, ’You paid too much for it, my friend; fifty rubles, not a kopeck more’ Wladek rose as if to leave

’Wait, wait,’ said the gambler ’I’ll let you have it for fifty’

Wladek took the fifty rubles out of his pocket and the gari for Wladek, nearly touching the ground, but it was exactly what he needed to cover his conspicuous suit For a few ain losing Froamble unless the odds are tipped in your favour by superior knowledge or skill, and always to be willing to walk away from a deal when you have reached your li a little safer under his new - old coat

He started to examine the layout of the train with a little eneral ones where passengers stood or sat on the wooden boards and special ones where they could sit on upholstered seats Wladek found that all the carriages were packed, with but one exception, a sitting carriage with a solitary woed, as far as Wladek could tell, and dressed a little more smartly with a little ers on the train She wore a dark blue dress and a scarf over her head She save hie

’May I sit downT ’Please do,’ said the woain, but studied the woe She had a sallow skin covered with tired lines, a little overweight - the little bit you could be on Russian food Her short black hair and brown eyes suggested that she once s on the rack and a ser of his position Wladek was suddenly aware of feeling clesperately tired He ondering if he dared to sleep when the wo?’